“Not write it? Why not?” he questioned in amazement equal to mine.
“Because I am absolutely unfitted to do it.”
“Why, you know all about the subject!”
“I mean that no author can for a moment write discriminatingly of his own work; and besides, the offer would never have been made if my connection with the book were known.”
“But they will never know.”
“I should.”
“You mean to say you do not intend to do it?”
“I shall write to-night declining.”
“But I want you to do it.”
“And I don’t.”