This light-hearted novel is concerned with the preservation of witty and meaningful conversation. As O'Henry wrote, "One should inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence." The three middle-aged main characters are of widely different backgrounds: Two Welshmen, TEDDY VAUGHAN-JONES, the sophisticate, WILL, the consummate roue', and ELIZABETH, an American of scholarly bent, meet regularly at a pub, THE WELSH PONY. They are dedicated to maintaining the "Art of Conversation" which seems to be fading in this fast-moving world of high-tech communication. The happy times at the pub are in jeopardy when the Department of Immigration limits Elizabeth's stay in Britain. Can either of the confirmed bachelors, Teddy or Will, make the supreme sacrifice to marry Elizabeth to keep her in Wales?