On her arrival, I conducted her to a seat near my pipe.
It is not good to hurry on to the repartee at once; so I talked for a time of the weather, the theatres, the new novel.

I kept my eye on her; and by and by she began to look about her.

She observed the strange-looking pipe.

Now is the critical moment.

It is possible that she may pass it by without remark, in which case all is lost; but experience has shown me that four times out of six she touches it in assumed horror, to pass some humorous remark.