In this room Mr. Stephen was already established; indeed, he was
seated on the window-sill swinging his leg.
"Now we are alone and comfortable," growled Sir Alexander with
sarcastic ferocity.
"As the boa-constrictor said to the rabbit in the cage," I remarked.
I did not mean to say it, but I had grown nervous, and the thought
leapt from my lips in words. Again Mr. Stephen began to swell. He
turned his face to the window as though to contemplate the wall
beyond, but I could see his shoulders shaking. A dim light of
intelligence shone in Woodden's pale eyes. About three minutes later
the joke got home. He gurgled something about boa-constrictors and
rabbits and gave a short, loud laugh. As for Sir Alexander, he merely
said:
"I did not catch your remark, sir, would you be so good as to repeat
it?"
As I appeared unwilling to accept the invitation, he went on:
"Perhaps, then, you would repeat what you told me in that sale-room?"
"Why should I?" I asked. "I spoke quite clearly and you seemed to
understand.
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