"No, I haven't," I said; "but I can tell you who isn't going to be—in once."
"The Japanese," said Arthur, "think a lot of it."
"I've got a pal," I said, "who'd dearly enjoy a few rounds of mental jiu-jitsu with you. He's got rather advanced ideas."
"Advanced!" said Arthur contemptuously. "We Nietzscheans speak only of being 'complete' or 'nearer completion.'"
It was at this point that Alfred joined in. He was sitting in uniform on the other side of the fire, reading Ruff's Guide.
"Who's that talking about poor old Ludovici?" he asked.
For a moment I was afraid Alfred thought that Ludovici was a horse.
"I was recommending him to this shining light of the Burlington House brigade," said Arthur.
Alfred laughed. "Look here, young fellow," he said, "everybody knows that he (pointing to me) is an antediluvian; but you've gone a bit off the boil yourself, haven't you?"
"What do you mean?" said Arthur, looking rather pained.