e little attention."

She replied, "One pound fifteen and two, and I hope you know where we
are to get it from, for I don't. And don't bang on the table in that
silly way, or you'll spill the ink."

"I did not bang. I tapped slightly from a pardonable impatience. I put
a plain question to you some time ago, and I should like a plain answer
to it."

"Well, what do you want to talk for when you see I am counting? Now,
what is it?"

"What I asked was this. Do I think--I mean, do you think--that I am
fonder of me--no, you are fonder of I--well, I'll begin again. Which of
us two would you say was fonder of the other than the other was of
the--dash it all, you know what I mean!"

"No, I don't, but it's nothing to swear about."

"I was not swearing. If you don't know what I mean, I'll try to put it
more simply. Are you fonder than I am? There."

"Fonder of what?"

"Fonder of each other."

"You mean is each of us fonder of the other than the other is of--of
the each?"

"I mean nothing of the kind. Until you muddled it the thing was
perfectly clear. Well, we two are two, are we not?"

"Of course I know that, but----"

"Wait a minute. I intend that you shall understand me this time. Which
of those two would you say was fonder of the other than the other was
of the other, or would you say that each was as fond of the other as
the other one was? Now you see it."

"Almost. Say it again."

"Would you say that in your opinion neither of us were fonder of the
other than both were of each, or that one was fonder of the other than
the other was of the first, and if so, which?"

"Now you've made it worse than ever. I don't believe you know what you
mean yourself. Do come to supper and talk sense."

* * * * *

I smiled cynically as I sat down to supper. "This doesn't surprise me
in the least," I remarked. "I never yet knew a woman who could argue,
or even understand the first step in an argument, and I don't suppose I
ever shall."

"Well," said Eliza, "you can't argue until you know what you are
talking about, and I don't know what you're talking about, and you
don't seem to know yourself, or, if you do, you're too muddled to tell
anybody. If you want to argue, argue about one pound fifteen and two.
It's Griffiths, and been sent in three times already."

"Don't shirk it, Eliza. Don't try to get away from it. I asked you
which of us you thought was the fonder of the other, a