You
may be sure Mrs. McIlheny is waiting for him outside of it, and then
we shall have them both on our hands indefinitely. We shall have to
explain and explain. Fiction has entirely failed us, and I feel that
the truth is giving way under our feet. I'll tell you what, Roberts!"
Roberts, in despair: "What?"
Campbell: "Why, if McIlheny should happen to come back alone, we
mustn't wait for him to renew his invitation to drink; we must take
him out ourselves, and get him drunk; so drunk he can't remember
anything; stone drunk; dead drunk. Or, that is, _you_ must. I haven't
got anything to do with him. I wash my hands of the whole affair."
Roberts: "You mustn't, Willis! You know I can't manage without you.
And you know I can't take the man out and get him drunk. I couldn't. I
shouldn't feel that it was right."
Campbell: "Yes, I know. You'd have to drink with him; and you've got
no head at all. You'd probably get drunk first, and I don't know what
I should say to Agnes."
Roberts: "That isn't the point, Willis. I couldn't ask the man to
drink; I should consider it immoral. Besides, what should you do if
the cook came while I was away? You wouldn't know her."
Campbell: "Well, neither would you, if you stayed.
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