'We'll have some cold beef, please.'
The waiter's delicate eyebrows lifted. He feigned surprise.
'ONLY ze cold beef, sare?'
'Yes that'll do to go on with, anyway.'
'But you will not have ANYSING else, sare?'
'Oh, well. Bring us some bread, of course. And butter.'
'But no soup to start wiz, sare?'
'No. No soup.'
'Nor any fish, sare? Only ze cold beef?'
'Do we want any fish, Rosemary? I don't think we do. No. No fish.'
'Nor any sweet to follow, sare? ONLY ze cold beef?'
Gordon had difficulty in controlling his features. He thought he had never hated anyone so much as he hated this waiter.
'We'll tell you afterwards if we want anything else,' he said.
'And you will drink sare?'
Gordon had meant to ask for beer, but he hadn't the courage now. He had got to win back his
