“In fact I was just going to suggest,” he smiled, “asking her to one of our meetings.”
“I’ll certainly do so,” I said. “I’ll ask her to-morrow.”
“Well both ask her,” he replied.
“But you won’t be there,” I said.
“Yes, I shall,” he answered. “I shall come with you.”
“But she hasn’t invited you,” I said, again trying to free my hands.
“But, my dear Augustus,” he said, gripping them a little tighter, “surely you don’t expect me to wait for that? Does the powerful swimmer refrain from plunging until the drowning victim has asked him to do so, or the hurrying policeman refuse to cut the rope because the would-be suicide has not invited it? Does the fireman hesitate before the smouldering nightgown until the female inside it has shown him her card?”
“Perhaps not,” I said, stepping a pace backwards.
“Certainly not,” he said, following me.
“But on the other hand,” I said, stepping sideways, “if a powerful swimmer has already plunged, if a hurrying policeman is already there, if a soaring fireman has already stooped——”