not, sir?'

A man with a very odd manner indeed, and with a lurking look that was
quite oppressive.

'No. In fact,' said Mr Milvey, 'since you are so interested in the
sister of your old pupil, I may as well tell you that I am going down to
marry her.'

The schoolmaster started back.

'Not to marry her, myself,' said Mr Milvey, with a smile, 'because I
have a wife already. To perform the marriage service at her wedding.'

Bradley Headstone caught hold of a pillar behind him. If Mr Milvey knew
an ashy face when he saw it, he saw it then.

'You are quite ill, Mr Headstone!'

'It is not much, sir. It will pass over very soon. I am accustomed to be
seized with giddiness. Don't let me detain you, sir; I stand in need
of no assistance, I thank you. Much obliged by your sparing me these
minutes of your time.'

As Mr Milvey, who had no more minutes to spare, made a suitable reply
and turned back into the office, he observed the schoolmaster to
lean against the pillar with his hat in his hand, and to pull at his
neckcloth as if he were trying to tear it off. The Reverend Frank
accordingly directed the notice of one of the attendants to him, by
saying: 'There is a person outside who seems to be really ill, and to
require some help, though he says he does not.'

Lightwood had by this time secured their places, and the departure-bell
was about to be rung. They took their seats, and were beginning to
move out of the station, when the same attendant came running along the
platform, looking into all the carriages.

'Oh! You are here, sir!' he said, springing on the step, and holding
the window-frame by his elbow, as the carriage moved. 'That person you
pointed out to me is in a fit.'

'I infer from what he told me that he is subject to such attacks. He
will come to, in the air, in a little while.'

He was took very bad to be sure, and was biting and knocking about him
(the man said) furiously. Would the gentleman give him his card, as he
had seen him first? The gentleman did so, with the explanation that
he knew no more of the man attacked than that he was a man of a very
respectable occupation, who had said he was out of health, as his
appearance would of itself have indicated. The attendant received the
card, watched his opportunity for sliding down, slid down, and so it
ended.

Then, the train rattled among the house-tops, and among the ragged sides
of houses torn down to make way for it, and over the swarming stre