Fielding and Captain Le Mesurier picked her out of the bush before she had time to examine into its significance.

All she said was, 'It's so like him.' 'Yes, hang the fellow!' said the Captain, and under his breath he launched imprecations at all 'those writer chaps.' Mallinson raised himself from a bed of mould upon the opposite side of the drive and apologised.

Captain Le Mesurier bluntly cut short the apology.

'Why didn't you say you couldn't drive?
I can't.

Who's ashamed of it?
You might have broken your wife's neck.' 'I might, and my own too,' replied Mallinson in a tone not a whit less aggrieved.
Captain Le Mesurier raised his eyes to the heavens with the apoplectic look which comes of an intense desire to swear, and the repressive presence of ladies.