The conversation had now taken on the semblance of a lawn-tennis match played with sputtering granadoes. There was a palpable shifting of bodies and chairs as Fellows of the R.S. aligned themselves for spectation. Monsieur LeFebure caught Comstock's lob with perfect aplomb: 'It has been known since ancient times that syrup of poppies, in even small doses, cripples the judgment by day and induces frightful dreams by night :would you not agree?'