“I see you,” he insisted, “don’t try to look the other way and pretend not to see me. You know who made you, little humbug!”

It was always my role to interpret Cupid’s sentiments in these conversations, and when my turn came I responded in such a manner, that Boris seized my arm and dragged me toward the pool, declaring he would duck me. Next instant he dropped my arm and turned pale. “Good God!” he said, “I forgot the pool is full of the solution!”

I shivered a little, and dryly advised him to remember better where he had stored the precious liquid.

“In Heaven’s name, why do you keep a small lake of that gruesome stuff here of all places?” I asked.

“I want to experiment on something large,” he replied.

“On me, for instance?”