Mesmerist's disposition. On rejoining ANGELINA, she has insisted upon
being taken home immediately, and has cried all the way back in the
hansom--much to EDWIN's perplexity. They are alone together, in a
Morning-room; ANGELINA is still sobbing in an arm-chair, and EDWIN is
rubbing his ear as he stands on the hearthrug.

_Edwin_. I say, ANGELINA, don't go on like this, or we shall have
somebody coming in! I wouldn't have gone up if I'd known it would
upset you like this; but I only wanted to make quite sure that the
whole thing was humbug, and--(_complacently_)--I rather think I
settled that.

_Ang._ (_in choked accents_). You settled that?--but _how?_... Oh, go
away--I can't bear to think of it all! [_Fresh outburst._

_Ed._ You're a little nervous, darling, that's all--and you see, I'm
all right. I felt a little drowsy once, but I knew perfectly well what
I was about all the time.

_Ang._ (_with a bound_). You knew?--then you _were_ pretending--and
you call that a good joke! _Oh!_

_Ed._ Hardly pretending. I just sat still, with my eyes shut, and the
fellow stroked my face a bit. I waited to see if anything would come
of it--and nothing did, that's all. At least, I'm not aware that I did
anything peculiar. In fact, I'm _certain_ I didn't. (_Uneasily._) Eh,
ANGELINA?

_Ang._ (_indistinctly, owing to her face being buried in cushions_).
If you d-d-d-on't really know, you'd bub-bub-better-not ask--but I