Page 164 - Fairbrass

PLEASURE

‘ Poor stuffy isn’t it?’ said the Hedgehog.
‘ It’s only my style that makes it go.’

f But I think I know what the poor

fellow meant, ’ said Fairbrass, ‘ I feel sorry
for him/

I You would have been if you had seen
him that night,’ said the Hedgehog.

i Walking about his bedroom half dressed,
he went on repeating that imbecile poem—

without, mind you, putting any of the point
into it that my experience as a reciter

enables me to bring out—until I was quite
sick of it. Luckily, I noticed he was

barefooted. I rolled myself up into as tight

a ball as I could, put myself in his way : he
trod on me ; and, oh my eyes and bristles,

Fairbrass ! if you want a treat you should
hear a poet when he does give way, privately,

to bad language.'
II wish you would go away,’ said Fair­

brass. 1 1 dare say you mean well, but to

my way of thinking you are much too
meddlesome/

‘ The poet thought so, too,1 said the