T.X.looked down.

The bright carpet had already changed colour, and was smoking.

The room was filled with a pungent and disagreeable scent.

T.X.looked from the floor to the white-faced man.
"Vitriol, I believe," he said, shaking his head admiringly.

"What a dear little fellow you are!" The man, big as he was, was on the point of collapse and mumbled something about self-defence, and listened without a word, whilst T.
X., labouring under an emotion which was perfectly pardonable, described Kara, his ancestors and the possibilities of his future estate.
Very slowly the Greek recovered his self-possession.
"I didn't intend using it on you, I swear I didn't," he pleaded.
"I'm surrounded by enemies, Meredith.