"I have."

"Who?"

"You."

"Me?" He nearly sprang into the air with astonishment.

"Why not?"

"They'd never adopt me."

"I think they would," I said. "There are men in the House as young as
you. You're well known at Wymington and at headquarters as my right-hand
man. You've done some speaking--you do it rather well; it's only
your private conversational style that's atrocious. You've got a name
familiar in public life up and down the country, thanks to your father
and mother. It's a fairly safe seat. I see no reason why they shouldn't
adopt you. Would you like it?"

"Like it?" he cried. "Why I'd give my ears for it."

"Then," said I, playing my winning card, "let us hear no more about Lola
Brandt."

He gave me a swift glance, and walked up and down the room for a while
in silence. Presently he halted in front of me.

"Look here, Simon, you're a beast, but"--he smiled frankly at the
quotation--"you're a just beast. You oughtn't to rub it in like that