Page:Tudor Jenks--Imaginotions.djvu/88

70 "Keep off! Do you mean to eat me? Beware! Giant though you be, I can defend myself!"

"Eat you!" I answered, laughing. "I am not a cannibal, even on a very small scale! And I have just dined. It was but curiosity. What in the world are you?"

"Curiosity, indeed!" he replied. " What in the world are you?" And he mimicked my tone to perfection.

I saw that he stood upon his dignity, and thought it best to humor him.

"You must pardon me," I began, "if my surprise on seeing a gentleman of your small presence caused me for the moment to forget the respect due to a stranger. But you yourself will not deny that the sight of such a mere atomy—a lusus naturæ, if I may be allowed the expression—would tend to excite curiosity rather than to remind one of the demands of courtesy."

This seemed to mollify him, for he replied, with a smile, "It is a strange sensation to hear one's self styled a lusus naturæ, but I cannot in justice complain, as I was about to apply the same term to yourself; and you certainly are colossally enormous—prodigious! I trust, however, that I have controlled my curiosity, and have accorded you such treatment as is due a gentleman—even on the very largest scale!"

He paused and gazed upon me with undisguised amazement.

"How did you get here?" I asked, after a moment's silence.

"I should be delighted to know," he answered, with evident sincerity. "It may be I can tell you, when you are good enough to begin by letting me know where I am."

"Nothing easier," I said. "This is my room."

"A valuable piece of information," he said, with some sarcasm, "and the apartment appears to be comfortable and rather well arranged—with exceptions. I see you cling to antiquated styles."