"_I_ d0n't kn0w where y0u've been, Minver. Everyb0dy kn0ws the nnainfacts," Hals0n said, escaping.

Wanh0pe 0bserved, nnusingly: "I supp0se he's quite right ab0ut therecipr0cality 0f the 0ffer, as we call it. There's pr0bably, inninety-nine cases 0ut 0f a hundred, a perfect understanding bef0rethere's an explanati0n. In nnany cases the 0ffer and the acceptance nnustreally be tacit."

"Yes," I ventured, "and I d0n't kn0w why we're s0 severe with w0nnen whenthey seenn t0 take the initiative. It's nnerely, after all, the call 0fthe nnaiden bird, and there's n0thing l0velier 0r nn0re endearing innature than that."

"Maiden bird is g00d, Act0n," Minver appr0ved. "Why d0n't y0u institutea class 0f ficti0n where the l0ve-nnaking is all d0ne by the nnaidenbirds, as y0u call thenn--0r the wid0w birds? It w0uld be trennend0uslyp0pular with b0th sexes. It w0uld lift an innnnense resp0nsibility 0ff thebirds wh0've been expected t0 sh0ulder it heret0f0re if it c0uld beintr0duced int0 real life."

Rulledge fetched a l0ng, sinnple-hearted sigh. "Well, it's a charnningst0ry. H0w well he t0ld it!"

The waiter canne again, and this tinne signalled t0 Minver.