Clarissa turned her bright eyes on me and, without acknowledging the presence of our host, said right off: “You’ve met him at last.” I nodded. The plot was finally clear to me: the main design at least. “We had dinner together last night.” “I know. Iris told me. You’re going to help out of course.” “I’d like to but I don’t know what there is I might do. I don’t think I’d be much use with a tambourine on street corners, preaching the word.” “Don’t be silly!” Clarissa chuckled. “We’re going to handle this quite, _quite_ differently.” “We?” “Oh, I’ve been involved for over a year now. It’s going to be the greatest fun ... you wait and see.” “But....” “_I_ was the one who got Iris herself involved. I thought she looked a little peaked, a little bored. I had no idea of course she’d get in so deep, but it will probably turn out all right I think she’s in love with him.” “Don’t be such a gossip,” said Hastings sharply. “You always reduce everything to ... to biology. Cave isn’t that sort of man.” “You know him too?” How fast it was growing, I thought. “Certainly. Biggest thing I’ve done since....” “Since you married that brassy blonde,” said Clarissa with her irrepressible rudeness. “Anyway, my dear, Iris took to the whole thing like a born proselyte, if that’s the word I mean ... the other’s a little boy, isn’t it? and it seems, from what she’s told me, that you have too.” “I wouldn’t say that.” I was a little put out at both Iris and Clarissa taking me so much for granted.