young kangaroo, as they say they do? Have ye read the 'Arcana of Nature
and Science,' ma'am?"

The Hon. Mrs. Bayruffle, thus abruptly addressed, observed that she had
not, and was it an amusing book?

"Becas it'll open your mind," pursued Mrs. Chump; "and there, he's
eatin'! and when a man takes to eatin', ye'll never have any fear about
his abouts. And if ye read the 'Arcana of Nature and Science,' ma'am,
ye'll first feel that ye've gone half mad. For it contains averything in
the world; and ye'll read ut ten times all through, and not remember five
lines runnin'! Oh, it's a dreadful book: and that's the book to read to
your husband when he's got a fit o' the gout. He's got nothin' to do but
swallow knolludge then. Now, Mr. Braintop, don't stop, but tell me as ye
go on what ye did with yourself all night."

A slight hesitation in Braintop caused her to cross-examine him rigidly,
suggesting that he might not dare to tell, and he, exercising some self-
command, adopted narrative as the less ignominious form of confession.
No one save Mrs. Chump listened to him until he mentioned the name Miss
Belloni; and then it was curious to see the steadiness with which certain
eyes, feigning abstraction, fixed in his direction. He had met Emilia on
the outskirts of the town, and unable to persuade her to take shelter
anywhere, had walked on with her in dead silence through the night, to
the third station of the railway for London.

"Is this a mad person?" asked the Hon. Mrs. Bayruffle.

Adela shrugged. "A genius."