‘Have you had a pleasant evening, my dear?’ said Lady Carbury, forgetting herself in her desire to punish her daughter.

‘Indeed, no,’ said Hetta, attempting to laugh, ’I have been trying to work hard at Dante, but one never does any good when one has to try to work.  I was just going to bed when Mr Montague came in.  What did you think of the wise men and the wise women, Roger?’

’I was out of my element, of course; but I think your mother liked it.’

’I was very glad indeed to meet Dr Palmoil.  It seems that if we can only open the interior of Africa a little further, we can get everything that is wanted to complete the chemical combination necessary for feeding the human race.  Isn’t that a...