and they sat in silence. The lisping of the fountains was very

audible. In the heavens, the moon climbed a little further and

registered a manifestly impossible hour on the sun-dial. It also

brightened.

It was a companionable sort of a moon. It invited talk of a

confidential nature.

"Bless my soul," it was signalling to any number of gentlemen at that

moment, "there's only you and I and the girl here. Speak out, man!

She'll have you now, if she ever will. You'll never have a chance like

this again, I can tell you. Come, now, my dear boy, I'm shining full