“Well, I suppose not,” admitted Clovis.

“You see,” continued Septimus, “I get quite a decent lot of money out of it. I could never live in the style I do on what I get as editor of the Cathedral Monthly .”

Clovis was even more startled than Septimus had been earlier in the conversation, but he was better skilled in repressing surprise.

“Do you mean to say you get money out of⁠—Florrie?” he asked.

“Not out of Florrie, as yet,” said Septimus; “in fact, I don’t mind saying that I’m having a good deal of trouble over Florrie. But there are a lot of others.”

Clovis’s cigarette went out.