“The little fellow was a liar, that’s all!”
“How can you do it with your fist?... That never works....”
The general opinion was evidently very definite.
“Impossible,” said several voices suddenly. “It’s impudence and nothing else....”
“What——?”
“Where did you get that notion?”
“It’s impudence....”
“Just you listen,” interrupted the young waiter, suddenly coming up the hatch, “and you may not think it impudent.... In the linen factory in the place where I lived there was a fellow and a machine caught all his fingers and slash bang! That’s all! He didn’t have a finger left! And his right hand too.... Just imagine: being a man with nothing but his palm left....”
The audience was charmed.
“What are you driving at?”