He bent his fine brows in perplexity.
"As when?" he asked.
"Well," I said, "those third leaders in The Times, for example. I often read them without making perfectly sure which department of the great House you are recommending: to which of its varied activities you are drawing particular attention."
He looked more bewildered. "The third leaders in The Times?" he asked.
"Yes," I said. "Don't you write those?"
"No," he replied with emphasis.
"Great Heavens!" I said, "I'm very sorry if I've hurt you. But I always assumed that you did."
The simultaneous ringing of the three telephones warned me that my time was up and I rose to go.
"Good-bye," he said, "Good-bye. You know where to go if you want anything, don't you? No matter what it is—ties, socks, dress—suits, scent, afternoon tea, civility, perfection. You know where to go?"—and he bowed me out.
And that is how I met Callisthenes.