'Well, I think you're wrong,' said the Emperor. 'I know there's a school of thought growing up that holds your views, but I disapprove of it. I hate all this modern advanced thought. Human sacrifices have always been good enough for the Emperors of Abyssinia, and they're good enough for me. Kindly step in here, if you please.'
He indicated the lamp-and-mop room, at which they had now arrived. It was a dark and sinister apartment, smelling strongly of oil and porters, and was probably the last place on earth in which George would have wished to be closeted with a man of such peculiar views. He shrank back.
'You go in first,' he said.
'No larks,' said the other, suspiciously.
'L-l-l-l-larks?'
'Yes. No pushing a fellow in and locking the door and squirting water at him through the window. I've had that happen to me before.'
'Sus-certainly not.'
'Right!' said the Emperor. 'You're a gentleman and I'm a gentleman. Both gentlemen. Have you a knife, by the way? We shall need a knife.'
'No. No knife.'
'Ah, well,' said the Emperor, 'then we'll have to look about for something else. No doubt we shall manage somehow.'