She laughed and loaded up my plate.
"Enough, enough!
Remember we are in the neighbourhood of a lieutenant colonel.
The army likes moderation in the lower ranks."
"Only in drinking, Bob.
Old Egbert himself is terribly fond of meringues." "Really," I replied.
"They weaned us of them pretty thoroughly in those days." I pushed the table to and fro on its rubber wheels.
It invited it. Noiselessly it rolled over the carpet.
I looked around.
Everything went with everything else. "Yes, Pat," said I, "this is how our ancestors lived."
She laughed.
"What nonsense are you talking now?"
"It's not nonsense.
It's a sign of the times."
"But it's merely an accident I have a few things, Robby."
I shook my head. "It's not an accident.
And it's not the things either.
It's what lies behind them.
You don't see it.
Only a person who no longer belongs to it, sees it."
She looked at me.
"You could have them just the same, if you really wanted."
I took her hand.
"But I don't want, Pat, that is it.
I'd feel a high-flyer.
The likes of us have to be ready to move on any miniite.
We're used to it.
It belongs to the time."
"It's a very convenient way, Bob," said Pat.
I laughed.
"Maybe.
And now give me some tea.
I'd just like to try it."
"No," said she, "we'll stick to coffee.
But eat something more in case you have to move on."
"True.
But what about Egbert—if he's so fond of cakes, won't he be counting on some to come back to?"
"Maybe.
But he must count on the lower ranks taking their revenge.
That belongs to the time, too.
Eat it all."
Her eyes were shining and she looked wonderful.
"Do you know one thing I'm not discarding next time I have to move on?"
She did not answer, but she looked at me.
"You," said I. "And now to be avenged on Egbert."
I had had only a plate of soup at the cab shelter for lunch, so it was not difficult to eat up everything there was.
And egged on by Pat I finished off the entire jug of coffee as well.
We sat by the window and smoked.
The evening showed red over the roofs.
"It's nice here, Pat," said I. "I can well imagine one might not want to go out for weeks together— until one had quite forgotten the whole rotten business outside there."