``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.
``This is very interesting,'' he said slowly. And then,
with Septimus Brope's next words, illumination dawned on
him.
``There are heaps of others; for instance:
`` `Cora with the lips of coral,
You and I will never quarrel.'
That was one of my earliest successes, and it still brings
me in royalties. And then there is---`Esmeralda, when I
first beheld her,' and `Fair Teresa, how I love to please
her,' both of those have been fairly popular. And there is
one rather dreadful one,'' continued Septimus, flushing deep
carmine, ``which has brought me in more money than any of
the others:
`` `Lively little Lucie
With her naughty nez retrousee'.
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