ere do we come to Muggeridge?... Oh, here we
are! I've got it. Well--that's plain enough. Muggeridge. M, U, one G, E,
R, I, J for D, G, E. That's quite plain. Can't see what you want more."

"Oh yes, it's all very easy for you, now you've been told. _I_ couldn't
make head or tail of it. And I don't wonder dear old Mrs. Picture
couldn't...."

The Earl looked up suddenly. "Stop a bit!" said he. "Now where was it in
Mrs. Thrale's letter. I had it just now ... here it is! 'The old lady
had just remembered the foreman's name when she saw the model.' Got
_that_?"

"Yes--but I don't see...."

"No--but listen! Dr. Nash found out that all these particulars were of
Dave's communicating. Got that?"

"Yes--but still I don't see...."

"Don't chatterbox! Listen to your father. Keep those two points in mind,
and then consider that when you read her Dave's letter she could not
identify his misspelt name, which seems perfectly obvious and easy to
me, now I know it. How _could_ she forget it so as not to be reminded of
it by a misspelt version? Can you conceive that she should fail, if she
had heard the name from the child so clearly as to have it on the tip of
her tongue the moment she saw the mill she only knew from Dave's
description?"

"No--it certainly does seem very funny!"

"Very funny. Now let's see what the rest of the letter says." He went on
reading:

"I know your ladyship will pardon the liberty I take to write at
such length, seeing the cause of it, and also if I may suggest that
your ladyship might send for Mrs. Bird, who lives with Mrs.
Prichard, or for the parents of the little Dave Wardle, to inquire
of them has she been subject to attacks or is this new. I should
tell you that she has now been free from any aberration of mind, so
Dr. Nash says, for nearly two days, mostly knitting quietly to
herself, without talk, and sometimes laying down the needles like
to think. Dr. Nash says to talk to her when she talks, but to keep
her off of bygones, and the like. She has asked for things to write
you a letter herself, and I have promised as soon as this is done.
But I will not wait for hers to post this, as Dr. Nash says the
sooner you know the better. I will now stop, again asking pardon
for so long a letter, and remain, my lady, your obedient and
faithful servant.

"R. THRALE"

"How very like what everyone else does!" said the Earl.