Joly blinks, a little surprised, and then laughs again. "Novel ideas indeed! Well, you've always been good enough to help me with my experiments, I'm certainly willing to cooperate with yours. And, you know, it's sure to be easier than explaining--" Joly's look takes in the beetle on the wall, and the cherubs, and the general Everything about the room "-- to any new acquaintances, even for you. By all means, let's test the theory."

If he's grinning remarkably like a smitten sap, well, they'll both probably just have to get used to that.