be splendid. I say?’ He looked round for a waiter. ‘Get me a taxi.’ Then he groaned again. ‘Oh I do feel — perfectly ghastly! Pussum, you see what you do to me.’

‘Then why are you such an idiot?’ she said with sullen calm.

‘But I’m not an idiot! Oh, how awful! Do come, everybody, it will be so splendid. Pussum, you are coming. What? Oh but you MUST come, yes, you must. What? Oh, my dear girl, don’t make a fuss now, I feel perfectly — Oh, it’s so ghastly — Ho! — er! Oh!’

‘You know you can’t drink,’ she said to him, coldly.

‘I tell you it isn’t drink — it’s your disgusting behaviour, Pussum, it’s