“It isn't very good,” she said listlessly. “I forget why — harmony or something.”

“I suspected it was unscholarly. It's so beautiful.”

“The tune's right enough,” said Freddy, “but the words are rotten. Why throw up the sponge?”

“How stupidly you talk!” said his sister. The Santa Conversazione was broken up. After all, there was no reason that Lucy should talk about Greece or thank him for persuading her mother, so he said good-bye.

Freddy lit his bicycle lamp for him in the porch, and with his usual felicity of phrase, said: “This has been a day and a half.”

“Stop thine ear against the singer —