I patted myself on the back for an artful fellow.

But I had underrated her wit.

To my chagrin she did not fall into my trap.
"It's the uncertainty that's killing me," she said.

And then she burst out disconcertingly: "Do you think he has gone off with that dreadful little Gedge girl ?" Phyllis! I was a myriad miles from Phyllis.

I was talking about real things.