"Now—as to gender, sir—masculine shall we say, or shall we make it feminine?"
"Oh—either will do! And yet, since you offer so wide a selection, perhaps—er—feminine—?"
"Very good, sir!"
"And you'd better make it singular number, Brimberly."
"Certingly, sir, much obliged, sir! Will you be wanting me again, sir?"
"Not again, Brimberly."
"Then good night, sir—thank you, sir!" And Mr. Brimberly went softly forth and closed the door noiselessly behind him.
Being alone, Mr. Ravenslee switched off the lights and sat in the fire-glow.
"Feminine gender, singular number, objective case, governed by the verb—to love—I wonder!"
And he laughed a little bitterly (and very youthfully) as he stared down into the dying fire.