You
will not mention my name, of course. It is tragic to be obliged to
work against one's friends in the dark. Your young neighbour spoke in
enthusiastic terms of your zeal, and I am sure that in choosing you for
my public man she was not pulling--er--was not making a mistake."
Mr. Lavender bowed.
"I hope not, madam, he said humbly I try to do my duty."
The lady smiled her sinuous smile and moved towards the door, leaving on
the air a faint odour of vinegar and sandalwood.
When she was gone Mr. Lavender sat down on the edge of his chair before
the tea-tray and extracted his teeth while Blink, taking them for a
bone, gazed at them lustrously, and the moon-cat between his feet purred
from repletion. "There is reason in all things," he thought, running his
finger over what was left in his mouth, "but not in patriotism, for
that would prevent us from consummating the destruction of our common
enemies. It behoves us public men ever to set an extreme example. Which
one can I spare, I wonder?" And he fixed upon a large rambling tooth on
the left wing of his lower jaw. "It will hurt horribly, I'm afraid; and
if I have an anaesthetic there will be someone else present; and not
improbably I shall feel ill afterwards, and be unable to form a clear
judgment.
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