" The young lady said in a peremptory manner, "Show me your
hands;" and the lawyer had to exhibit two not very presentable paws. She
turned them palms up, and shuddered at the scorched, blistered and
scratched appearance of them. "Where are Mr. Errol's gloves I put on
you?"
"In the pocket of my wet coat in the kitchen."
"Why did you dare to take them off when I put them on?"
"Because I was like the cat in the proverb, not that I was after mice
you know, but I couldn't fire in gloves."
"Well, your firing is done now, and I shall expect you to come to me in
the workroom, immediately after breakfast, to have these gloves put on
again. Do you hear me, sir?"
"Yes."
"And what else? Do you mean to obey?"
"Oh, yes, Miss Carmichael, of course, always, with the greatest joy in
the world."
"Nobody asked you, sir, to obey always."
"I beg your pardon, Miss Carmichael, I'm afraid I'm a little confused."
"Then I hope you will not put me to confusion, as you did this morning."
"I'm awfully sorry," said the mendacious lawyer, "but it was the coat
and collar, you know." Then most illogically, he added, "I'd like to
wear this coat and this collar all the time.
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