Of course, I loathe the whole lot of them; in fact, I'm
rapidly becoming something of a woman-hater under their
influence, but I can't afford to disregard the financial
aspect of the matter. And at the same time you can
understand that my position as an authority on
ecclesiastical architecture and liturgical subjects would be
weakened, if not altogether ruined, if it once got about
that I was the author of `Cora with the lips of coral' and
all the rest of them.''
Clovis had recovered sufficiently to ask in a sympathetic,
if rather unsteady, voice what was the special trouble with
``Florrie.''
``I can't get her into lyric shape, try as I will,'' said
Septimus mournfully. ``You see, one has to work in a lot of
sentimental, sugary compliment with a catchy rhyme, and a
certain amount of personal biography or prophecy. They've
all of them got to have a long string of past successes
recorded about them, or else you've got to foretell blissful
things about them and yourself in the future. For instance,
there is:
`` `Dainty little girlie Mavis,
She is such a rara avis.
All the money I can save is
All to be for Mavis mine.
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