allowing for time spent in the cradle and so forth, shows a commendable
industry."

"Yes, the old Master's saying of him has been pretty well realised,"
said Ridley.

"A way they had," said Mr. Pepper. "You know the Bruce collection?--not
for publication, of course."

"I should suppose not," said Ridley significantly. "For a Divine he
was--remarkably free."

"The Pump in Neville's Row, for example?" enquired Mr. Pepper.

"Precisely," said Ambrose.

Each of the ladies, being after the fashion of their sex, highly trained
in promoting men's talk without listening to it, could think--about the
education of children, about the use of fog sirens in an opera--without
betraying herself. Only it struck Helen that Rachel was perhaps too
still for a hostess, and that she might have done something with her
hands.

"Perhaps--?" she said at length, upon which they rose and left, vaguely
to the surprise of the gentlemen, who had either thought them attentive
or had forgotten their presence.

"Ah, one could tell strange stories of the old days," they heard Ridley
say, as he sank into his chair again. Glancing back, at the doorway,
they saw Mr. Pepper as though he had suddenly loosened his clothes, and