Bream Mortimer was tall and thin. He had small, bright eyes and a sharply curving nose. He looked much more like a parrot than most parrots do. It gave strangers a momentary shock of surprise when they saw Bream Mortimer in restaurants eating roast beef. They had the feeling that he would have preferred sun-flower seeds. "Morning, Mrs. Hignett." "Please sit down." Bream Mortimer sat down. He looked as though he would rather have hopped on to a perch, but he sat down. He glanced about the room with gleaming, excited eyes. "Mrs. Hignett, I must have a word with you alone!" "You _are_ having a word with me alone." "I hardly know how to begin." "Then let me help you. It is quite impossible. I will never consent." Bream Mortimer started. "Then you have heard!" "I have heard about nothing else since I met Mr. Bennett in London. Mr. Bennett talked about nothing else. Your father talked about nothing else. And now," cried Mrs. Hignett fiercely, "you come and try to reopen the subject. Once and for all nothing will alter my decision. No money will induce me to let my house." "But I didn't come about that!" "You did not come about Windles?" "Good Lord, no!" "Then will you kindly tell me why you have come?" Bream Mortimer looked embarrassed. He wriggled a little and moved his arms as if he were trying to flap them. "You know," he said, "I'm not a man who butts into other people's affairs." ... He stopped. "No?" said Mrs. Hignett. Bream began again. "I'm not a man who gossips with servants." "No?" "I'm not a man who...." Mrs. Hignett was never a very patient woman. "Let us take all your negative qualities for granted," she said curtly. "I have no doubt that there are many things which you do not do. Let us confine ourselves to issues of definite importance. What is it, if you have no objection to concentrating your attention on that for a moment, that you wish to see me about?" "This marriage." "What marriage?" "Your son's marriage." "My son is not married." "No, but he's going to be. At eleven o'clock this morning at the Little Church Round the Corner!" Mrs. Hignett stared. "Are you mad?" "Well, I'm not any too well pleased, I'm bound to say," admitted Mr. Mortimer. "You see, darn it all, I'm in love with the girl myself!" "Who is this girl?" "Have been for years. I'm one of those silent, patient fellows who hang around and look a lot, but never tell their love...." "Who is this girl who has entrapped my son?" "I've always been one of those men who...." "Mr. Mortimer! With your permission we will take your positive qualities, also, for granted. In fact, we will not discuss you at all. You come to me with this absurd story...." "Not absurd. Honest fact. I had it from my valet, who had it from her maid, and, though I'm not a man who gossips with servants, I'm bound to say...." "Will you please tell me who is the girl my misguided son wishes to marry?"