"
"But I think it might be my _metier_," she replied earnestly, "if only I
could learn it."
"Why haven't you tried, then?"
"I've been lazy and the opportunity hasn't come my way."
"I'll introduce you to Campion," I said, "and doubtless he'll be able to
find something for you to do. He has made a science of the matter. I'll
take you down to see him."
"Will you?"
"Certainly," said I. There was a pause. Then an idea struck me. "I
wonder, my dear Lola, whether you could apply that curious power you
have over savage animals to the taming of the more brutal of humans."
"I wonder," she said thoughtfully.
"I should like to see you seize a drunken costermonger in the act of
jumping on his wife by the scruff of the neck, and reduce him to such
pulp that he sat up on his tail and begged."
"Oh, Simon!" she exclaimed reproachfully. "I quite thought you were
serious."
"So I am, my dear," I returned quickly, "as serious as I can be."
She laughed. "Do you remember the first day you came to see me? You said
that I could train any human bear to dance to whatever tune I pleased.
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