what he would have said , if embarrassment , fear , poor memory and a complete lack of any kind of imagination had n't conspired against it , was : 'when i was a little boy , and staying with my aunt , and she had told me not to touch the cream , ekcetra , and she had put it on a high shelf in the pantry , and i got a stool and went after it when she was out anyway , and she 'd come back and i did n't know , and i could n't reach the bowl properly and it smashed on the floor , and she opened the door and glared at me : it was that look .