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For a terrible, long-lingering moment, all you can do is grasp at chaff and straw. It simply cannot be gainsaid; you are in a tight spot liable to get tighter if you start talking about your father and your business here. Moreover, with Sulphreme's lip buttoned up on account of Poincare's objection to that sort of talk in your presence, what reason is there to remain at the table? Perhaps if you were to wait until the Poincares were distracted, and asked the Taker again - or failing that, if you were to simply wait until they left to question him. But who knows how long that could be - and with no food or drink to occupy yourself with, you are liable to drawn into conversations like the very one you are avoiding right now. It nearly goes without saying that there is little to gain from this idle tongue-wagging and much to ... hold on. If you actually think about it, then that sort of sentiment will only hold water if you are the one talking. If you were to get him talking, that would buy you some time at least - perhaps enough for the proprietor to finally make his way over to you, so you may ask for a private word, or for the Poincares to leave or to get sufficiently distracted. Just ... make a play for time here. You muster your best approximation of a playful tone, and pair it with your best approximation of a leading question.
"...Oh, dear ... I don't know if I should say; after all, my father taught me not to speak to who-bodies ...".
You smile softly at the man, then careful to not look at him overlong, you lower your gaze to the sleeves of your dress - looking to occupy your hands, you tug at the left with your right hand, then the right with your left hand. There really isn't much else to look at, but you'd like something to keep yourself from staring while you talk; a mistake you make on occasion, no doubt borne out of spending so much of your life behind - and underneath - the Leper's mask. Blessedly, it is not a mistake that you make frequently enough to describe as a bad habit, and it isn't something that has ever really bit you, but all the same you would very much like to not make mistakes such as that here. As you resume eye contact and force yourself to stop plucking your sleeves, it occurs to you - perhaps belatedly - that you might have been over-relying on finesse here, that the man might not take your rejoinder as an invitation - and a request besides - to talk about himself.
"That's more than decent advice, I suppose. I'm a - "
"Do tell, did your father teach you the concept of an appropriate bed-time?"
Cry fie and fray it all, its that bastard Poincare again! It's definitely the one sitting closer to you, but both are glaring at you and some of the others around the table and room are staring at you <span class="mu-i">once again</span>. Damn it! Damn it all! You -
"Why don't you ask him yourself?"
What? What is ... what? What is Sulphreme's friend saying?
"He's upstairs, the door across from mine - in four of cups."
