Just then Mam heard Dan damaging our best paint; she crossed the hall and flung the door wide.
“This wretched dog—” she began, but stopped short on seeing Schwartz and Minkie. Schwartz swallowed something, and grinned like a death’s head.
“This mongoose is an extraordinary creature,” he said. “I have taken quite a fancy to him....”
He rejoined the Guv’nor, as he had the letter in his pocketbook all the time. Dolly was playing and singing “Du, du liegst mir im Herzen,” so Mam thought she had a good chance of explaining matters to Minkie.
“I hope you will be nice to Mr. Schwartz if he takes an interest in your pets,” she said. “You annoyed your father considerably during dinner by your unwarrantable hostility to our guest. I am more than surprised at you.”
“Please forgive me, mother dear. And you might tell Dad that I have cleared away all misunderstandings between Mr. Schwartz and myself.”
“Misunderstandings, child! How can you possibly use such a word where a gentleman is concerned of whom you have seen so little?”
“There are some people whom one gets to know very quickly. Do you remember the burglar whom our policeman caught as he was climbing the rectory wall? Those two had never seen each other before, yet we met them coming down the road arm-in-arm.”
Mam laughed. “You are always ready enough to turn a difficult conversation when it suits your purpose. Why don’t you show equal tact in your remarks to Mr. Schwartz? I would not ask this, Millicent, if I had not a special reason.”
“Tell me, mummy dear. Is Mr. Schwartz going to lend Dad some money?”