“Yes—but—”
“And that’s how it blew up, wasn’t it? You haven’t the cheek to say that wasn’t the way it blew up?”
“Of course it was; only—”
“Therefore, if you hadn’t stuck it there it wouldn’t have blown up. You can’t deny that?”
“I don’t say that. What I say—”
“Therefore, it was you who blew it up; and it’s you’ve got to pay for the fireworks, Q.E.D.; and if you don’t shut up, young Sarah, you’ll get your face washed.”
I felt I was the victim of a very one-sided argument, but the popular verdict was so manifestly in favour of the secretary, that I was constrained to allow the point to pass.
”—reason why,” resumed Langrish. “There was a bit of a row, and the doctor and some of the chaps were had up before the beak. We got on all serene till a howling chimpanzee whose name is Sarah—”
“There you are again,” said I. “I’ll pay you now.”
“What are you talking about? I never mentioned you—did I, you chaps?”