“Then we’d better go back,” I said, “to the original Yew-tree.”

“What Yew-tree?” enquired Ezekiel.

“Why, the one you referred to,” I said, “as not requiring an an.”

“But I’ve already told you,” he said, “that I deny that.”

“But, my dear Ezekiel,” I said, “you can’t deny things like that.”

“I not only can,” he said, “but I do.”

“But you’ll soon be denying,” I cried, “that I’m the Vice-President of the Anti-Dramatic and Saltatory Union.”

“I certainly shall,” he said, “if you continue to go about referring to actresses by their Xtian names.”

“But, my dear Ezekiel,” I said, “it was entirely at her own request that I referred to Miss Moonbeam as Mary.”

He stepped back a pace, obviously shaken.