). Oh, yes, it does--"silence," "grumpiness,"
"oysters," "Trappists."

_M. C._ If a word suggests nothing whatever to you, you should say,
"Blank mind."

_Third Player._ Ah, but I've thought of something now--"reticule."

(_Roars of laughter._)

_M. C._ It's all right. That's how the mind does work. Now, next
player.

_Fourth Player._ Have I got to say something that "reticule" suggests?

_M. C._ That's the idea--yes.

_A Player._ Say "vanity-bag."

_Another Player._ Say "powder-puff."

(_Roars of laughter._)

_M. C._ Please, please--either the game is worth playing or it isn't.
If it is worth playing it is worth playing seriously, and then you can
get some very funny effects--it's a psychological exhibition; but if
other players talk at the same time and try to help it's useless. Now,
next player, please. The word is "reticule."

_Fourth Player_ (_after a long silence_). "Bond Street."

_Fifth Player._ Ah, "Bond Street"! That's better. That suggests
heaps of things. Which shall I choose? "Chocolates"? No. "Furs"? No.
"Diamonds"? No. Oh, yes--"Old Masters."

_M. C._ (_with resignation_). But you know you mustn't select. The whole
point of the game is that you must say what comes automatically into
your mind as you hear the word.

_Fifth Player._ I'm sorry. Shall I go back to "diamonds"?

_M. C._ No; you had better stick to "Old Masters."

_Fifth Player._ "Old Masters."

_Sixth Player_ (_deaf_). What did you say--"mustard-plasters"?

_Fifth Player._ No; "Old Masters."

_Sixth Player._ I've heard of new men and old acres, but I've never
heard of Old Pastures. What are they?

_Fifth Player_ (_shouting_). No, no; "Old Masters." Pictures of the Old
Masters--RAPHAEL, TITIAN.

_Sixth Player._ Ah, yes! "Old Masters." Well, that suggests to me----
Yes (_triumphantly_), "the National Gallery."

_Seventh Player_ (_who has been waiting sternly_). "Trafalgar Square."

_Eighth Player_ (_instantly_). "NELSON."

_Ninth Player_ (_even more quickly_). "NELSON KEYS."

_M. C._ (_beaming_). That's better. It's going well now.

_Tenth Player._ "England expects----"

_Ninth Player._ No, you can't say that. I could have said that, but
you can't.

_Tenth Player._ Why not?

_Ninth Player._ Because "NELSON" is all over and done with. The
new name is "NELSON KEYS." You ought to have thought of something
connected with him.

_Tenth Player._ If you'd said "KEYS" I might have done. But you said
"NELSON KEYS,"