"Do tell me, sir, what is in your mind--if, of course, you have no
objection, or do not think it better to withhold it."

"I have no objection, Adam--in fact, if I had, I should have to overcome
it. I fear there can be no more reserved thoughts between us."

"Indeed, sir, that sounds serious, worse than serious!"

"Adam, I greatly fear that the time has come for us--for you and me, at
all events--to speak out plainly to one another. Does not there seem
something very mysterious about this?"

"I have thought so, sir, all along. The only difficulty one has is what
one is to think and where to begin."

"Let us begin with what you have told me. First take the conduct of the
mongoose. He was quiet, even friendly and affectionate with you. He
only attacked the snakes, which is, after all, his business in life."

"That is so!"

"Then we must try to find some reason why he attacked Lady Arabella."

"May it not be that a mongoose may have merely the instinct to attack,
that nature does not allow or provide him with the fine reasoning powers
to discriminate who he is to attack?"

"Of course that may be so. But, on the other hand, should we not satisfy
ourselves why he does wish to attack anything? If for centuries, this