I told you you mustn't." The "fruit man" was Mr.Gaius Small, and, although he stammered, he loved the sound of his own voice.

The demand for a dozen oranges furnished Gaius with subject sufficient for a lengthy monologue--"forty drawls and ten stutters to every orange," quoting Captain Shad again.
"I told you you mustn't get him started," went on Miss Keith, gushingly.
"He'll talk forever if he has a chance.

But you would do it.

Asking him if he kept pomegranates and bread-fruit! The idea! I'm sure he doesn't know what a pomegranate is.

You were SO solemn and he was SO ridiculous! I thought I should DIE.