He changed his stick from one hand to
the other, and - "O, for God's sake, don't be an ass!" he cried.
"Ass? That's the retort delicate without doubt," says Frank. "Beware
of the homespun brothers, dear. If they come into the dance, you'll see
who's an ass. Think now, if they only applied (say) a quarter as much
talent as I have applied to the question of what Mr. Archie does with
his evening hours, and why he is so unaffectedly nasty when the
subject's touched on - "
"You are touching on it now," interrupted Archie with a wince.
"Thank you. That was all I wanted, an articulate confession," said
Frank.
"I beg to remind you - " began Archie.
But he was interrupted in turn. "My dear fellow, don't. It's quite
needless. The subject's dead and buried."
And Frank began to talk hastily on other matters, an art in which he was
an adept, for it was his gift to be fluent on anything or nothing. But
although Archie had the grace or the timidity to suffer him to rattle
on, he was by no means done with the subject.
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