remember, maintained that there existed a great army of such constructive-minded people as ourselves—as yet undiscovered by one another.
“It's like boring a tunnel through a mountain,” said Oscar, “and presently hearing the tapping of the workers from the other end.”
“If you didn't know of them beforehand,” I said, “it might be a rather badly joined tunnel.”
“Exactly,” said Altiora with a high note, “and that's why we all want to find out each other....”
They didn't talk like that on our first encounter, but they urged me to lunch with them next day, and then it was we went into things. A woman Factory Inspector and the Educational Minister for New Banksland and his wife were also there, but I don't remember they made any contribution to the conversation. The Baileys saw to that. They kept on at me in an urgent litigious way.
“We have read your book,” each began—as though it