"Shall I begin dinner with pudding and cheese or take the ordinary
soup first? I quite forget which I did last night," he said
anxiously to his wife.
But Mrs. Starling hesitated.
"Tell me, Mary," he said, appealing to Miss Bike, the young lady.
"I should begin with the pudding," said Miss Bike decisively, "and
between that and the arrival of the cheese you can make up your
mind, and then, if you think better, go back to the soup."
"Thank you so much. Now, as to drink? Shall I take the
Friedrichshalle first or the Benedictine? You know the doctor
insists upon the Friedrichshalle, but I don't think I did well to
mix them as I did yesterday. Or shall I take simply milk and
beer?"
"I should say simplicity was best. Besides, you can always fill up
with champagne later."
How splendidly this clear-headed, clear-eyed girl dominated the
man! Lummox felt that REALLY he might renew her acquaintance! He
did so.
"I remembered you," she said. "You've not changed a bit since you
were eight years old."
John, wishing to change the subject, said that he thought Mr.
Starling seemed an uncertain man.
"Very! He's even now in his stateroom sitting in his pyjamas with
a rubber shoe on one foot and a pump on the other, wondering
whether he ought to put on golf knickerbockers with a dressing-gown
and straw hat before he comes on deck.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88