Whispering Tongues

"[...] "Fred, forgive me! Did I hurt you? No? In the joyful exuberance of my emotion the swelling tide of feeling overran its bounds and came-" "Oh, bother the swelling tide! I'm obliged to you for the news, though. Here, take the other hand; that's it! I thought I could convince 'em that a man can speak sometimes with his right arm strapped fast to his ribs. You're sure there's no mistake about it, Charley?"[...]."