Mr Mowett,' called Stephen in the pause while the table was clearing to make room for the pudding, and pudding-wine—in this case Frontignan and Canary—was handing about, 'you were telling me about your publishers.'

   'Yes, sir: I was about to say that they were the most hellish procrastinators—'

   'Oh how dreadful,' cried Fanny. 'Do they go to—to special houses, or do they ...'

   'He means they delay,' said Babbington.

   'Oh.

Autore: Patrick O'Brian