I am free till three.

" "No," answered Levin, after an instant's thought, "I have got to go on somewhere else.

" "All right, then, let's dine together.

" "Dine together? But I have nothing very particular, only a few words to say, and a question I want to ask you, and we can have a talk afterwards.

" "Well, say the few words, then, at once, and we'll gossip after dinner.