phylactic measures: something akin to
vaccination,' Merton explained. 'The agents must be warranted "immune."
Nice new word!'

'How?'

'The object,' Merton answered, 'is to make it impossible, or highly
improbable, that our agents, after disentangling the affections of the
patients, curing them of one attack, will accept their addresses, offered
in a second fit of the fever. In brief, the agents must not marry the
patients, or not often.'

'But how can you prevent them if they want to do it?'

'By a process akin, in the emotional region of our strangely blended
nature, to inoculation.'

'Hanged if I understand you. You keep on repeating yourself. You
dodder!'

'Our agents must have got the disease already, the pretty fever; and be
safe against infection. There must be on the side of the agent a prior
attachment. Now, don't interrupt, there always _is_ a prior attachment.
You are in love, I am in love, he, she, and they, all of the broken
brigade, are in love; all the more because they have not a chance.
"Cursed be the social wants that sin against the strength of youth." So,
you see, our agents will be quite safe not to crown the flame of the
patients, not to accept them, if they do propose, or expect a proposal.
"Every security from infection guaranteed." There is the felt want. Here
is the remedy; not warranted absolutely painless, but salutary, and
tending to the amelioration of the species. So we have only to enlist
the agents, and send a few advertisements to the papers. My first
editions must go. Farewell Shelley, Tennyson, Keats, uncut Waverleys,
Byron, _The Waltz_, early Kiplings (at a vast reduction on account of the
overflooded state of the market). Farewell Kilmarnock edition of Burns,
and Colonel Lovelace, his _Lucasta_, and _Tamerlane_ by Mr. Poe, and the
rest. The money must be raised.' Merton looked resigned.

'I have nothing to sell,' said Logan, 'but an entire set of clubs by
Philp. Guaranteed unique, and in exquisite condition.'

'You must part with them,' said Merton. 'We are like Palissy the potter,
feeding his furnace with the drawing-room furniture.'

'But how about the recruiting?' Logan asked. 'It's like one of these
novels where you begin by collecting desperados from all quarters, and
then the shooting commences.'

'Well, we need not ransack the Colonies,' Merton replied. 'Patronise
British industries. We know some fellows already and some young women.'

'I say