"I believe," continued the Reverend OCTAVIUS, walking slowly on with
them, "I believe, Mr. PENDRAGON, your sister finds out from you
everything that you learn, or say, or do?"

"Everything," assented the young man, who seemed greatly exhausted. "She
averages one question a minute."

"Consequently," went on Mr. SIMPSON, "she knows that I have advised you
to make some kind of apology to EDWIN DROOD, for the editorial remarks
passing between you on a certain important occasion?" He looked at the
sister as he spoke, and took that opportunity to quickly swallow a
quinine powder as a protection from the chills.

"My brother, sir," said MAGNOLIA, "because, like the Lesbian Alcaeus,
fighting for the liberty of his native Mitylene, he has sympathized with
his native South, finds himself treated by Mr. DROOD with a lack of
magnanimity of which even the renegade PITTACUS would have been
ashamed."

"But even at that," returned the Gospeler, much educated by her remark,
"would it not be better for us all, to have this hapless
misunderstanding manfully explained away, and a reconciliation
achieved?"

"Did AESCHYLUS explain to the Areopagus, after he had been unjustly
abused?" asked the young female student, eagerly. "Or did he, rather,
nobly prefer to remain silent, even until AMEINIAS reminded his
prejudiced Yankee judges that he had fought at Salamis?"