I replied curtly that before I could state a price, I'd have to see the work, adding at the same time that I had wished to do Oscar a good turn, but, if he could find another publisher, I'd be delighted.

Mr.More Adey assured me that there was nothing in the book to which any prude even could object, no _arriere pensee_ of any kind, and so forth and so on.

I answered with a jest, a wretched play on his French phrase.
That night I happened to dine with Whistler and telling him of what had occurred called forth a most stinging gibe at Oscar's expense.
Whistler's _mot_ cannot be published.
A week or two later Oscar asked me to get him some clothes, which I did and on his release sent them to him, and received in reply a letter thanking me which I reproduce on page 583.
In that same talk with Oscar in Reading Gaol, I was so desirous of helping him that I proposed a driving tour through France.

I told him of one I had made a couple of years before which was full of delightful episodes--an entrancing holiday.

He jumped at the idea, said nothing would please him better, he would feel safe with me, and so forth.