laughing. No wonder that Lady Ragnall lost her temper!

Ten minutes later she arrived in the dining-room, waving a lighted
ribbon that disseminated perfume.

"What on earth are you doing?" I asked.

"Fumigating the house," she said. "It is unnecessary as I don't think
they were infectious, but the ceremony has a moral significance--like
incense. Anyway it relieves my feelings."

Then she laughed and threw the remains of the ribbon into the fire,
adding,

"If you say a word about those people I'll leave the room."

I think we had one of the jolliest breakfasts I ever remember. To
begin with we were both hungry since our miseries of the night before
had prevented us from eating any dinner. Indeed she swore that she had
scarcely tasted food since Saturday. Then we had such a lot to talk
about. With short intervals we talked all that day, either in the
house or while walking through the gardens and grounds. Passing
through the latter I came to the spot on the back drive where once I
had saved her from being abducted by Harut and Marut, and as I
recognized it, uttered an exclamation. She asked me why and the end of
it was that I told her all that story which to this moment she had
never heard, for Ragnall had thought well to keep it from her.

She listened intently, then said,