Then, instead of the morning being gone before you could turn
yourself round, and confusion made worse confounded by your leaving
off what you were doing and trying to do six things at once that you
couldn't remember whether you had done or whether you hadn't . . .

Here Mrs. Arlington appears to have dissolved into tears. Generally
speaking, she was a placid, smiling, most amiable lady, quite
delightful to have about the house provided all you demanded of her
were pleasant looks and a sunny disposition. The twins appear to
have joined their tears to hers. Tucked in and left to themselves,
one imagines the problem being discussed with grave seriousness,
much whispered conversation, then slept upon, the morning bringing
with it ideas. The result being that the next evening, between high
tea and supper, Mrs. Muldoon, answering herself the knock at the
door, found twin figures standing hand in hand on the Professor's
step.

They asked her if "the Fairy" was in.



V. HOW IT WAS TOLD TO MRS. MARIGOLD.



There was no need of the proverbial feather. Mrs. Muldoon made a
grab at the settle but missed it. She caught at a chair, but that
gave way. It was the floor that finally stopped her.

"We're so sorry," apologised Victor. "We thought you knew. We