"Well, about the system?"
"Oh, yes; I had forgotten. What were we talking about?"
"You said your girls name was———"
"Exactly. My girl's name was———"
Here his brows wrinkled up and he said to himself audibly:
"Girl—dress—dressmaker—thread—spool—cotton—cotton-mill—spinner—bobbin—bob—Robert—Robert—Roberta. That's it. Her name was Roberta—nice girl, too."
"What was her last name?"
"Her last name? Let me see." Here he fell into the same sort of an audible brown study and murmured: "Roberta—Robert—Bob—bobbin—cotton—factory—mill—mills. That's it again. Mills is the name—Miss Mills. Let's see what did I say her first name was? Girl—dress—dressmaker———"
"Never mind going over that again. You said her name was Roberta."
"That's it. Roberta—Ro———"
"Mills?"
"You're right, Roberta Mills; awfully nice girl, too. She lives in Windsor. Know her?"
"No, I don't."
"Well, she's lost to me forever. I don't know that it matters now. I have rarely the money to pay the ferry fare, and if I had it I might wish to spend it otherwise."
"I don't doubt it. How did the separation come about?"
"Memory system did it. I suppose you understand the system now?"
"I can't say that I do."
"Well, you see, you corral any word you want to remember."
"I have heard of corralling an animal, but———"
"Same thing, my boy, same thing. You get a word up in a corner, so that it can't escape you. That is where the system comes in so good in learning French. Now, for instance, supposing you want the French for water. You corral the two words together. Water makes you think of whiskey, doesn't it?"
"Natural combination."
"Of course it is. Now whiskey makes you think of drunk. A man who is addicted to drink naturally neglects his business and runs in debt."
"Quite correct."
"Then drunk recalls debt, see? Well, a man who is in debt owes everybody, doesn't he?"
"If they are foolish enough to trust him—yes."
"Very well, then, there you have it. Water—whiskey—drunk—debt—owe—eau, the French for water. Easy as rolling off a log. Now, to put the system to everyday use, supposing your wife gave you a letter to post."
"You may as well suppose something probable while you're at it. She wouldn't do it. She knows I'd forget it."
