"I never heard of such a thing!" He perceived that he had shocked her, pained her.

He saw that some ingenious defence of himself was required; but he could find none.

So he said, in his confusion-- "Suppose we go and have something to eat?
I do want a bit of lunch, as you say, now I come to think of it.

Will you ?" "What?
Here ?" she demanded apprehensively.
"Yes," he said.

"Why not ?" "Well--!" "Come along!" he said, with fine casualness, and conducted her to the eight swinging glass doors that led to the _salle a manger_ of the Grand Babylon.