“Do you mean to tell me,” he said, “that she asked you to?”
“Most certainly,” I replied, “and if you would like to hear them, I can repeat her actual words.”
“Please do,” he said.
“‘Oh, Mr. Carp,’” I said, “‘won’t you call me Mary?’”
His face brightened a little.
“Then she didn’t call you Augustus?” he said.
“She hasn’t done so,” I answered, “as yet.”
“And perhaps she never will,” he said, “never will.”
“I don’t quite see,” I said, “why you should say that.”
“Perhaps not,” he replied. “But I do say it.”