to Vienna with her mother in the middle of January," said she. "And ...
No--I'm not mistaken. I'm sure I'm right! Because when we came back from
Languedoc in June there was not a word of any such thing. And Lord
Ancester never breathed as much as a hint. And he certainly _would_
have, under the circumstances. Why don't you speak and agree with me, or
contradict me, instead of puffing?"

"Well, my love," said the gentleman apologetically, "you see, my
interpretation of your meaning has to be--as it were--constructive.
However, I believe it to be accurate this time. If I understand you
rightly ..."

"And you have no excuse for not doing so. For I am sure that what I did
say was as clear as daylight."

"Exactly. It is perfectly true that, when we went to Grosvenor Square in
June, Tim said nothing about recovery. In fact, as I remember it--only
eighteen years is a longish time, you know, to recollect things--he was
regularly down in the mouth about the whole concern. I always believed,
myself, that he would sooner have had Adrian for Gwen, on any terms, by
that time--sooner than she should marry the Hapsburg, certainly. Not
that he believed that Gwen was going to cave out!"

"You never said he said that!"

"Because he didn't. He only cautioned me particularly against believing
the rubbish that got into the newspapers. I am sure that if he had said
anything _then_ about recovery, I should remember it now."

"I suppose you would."

"And then six weeks after that Gwen came tearing home by herself from
Vienna. Then the next thing we heard was that he had recovered his
eyesight, and they were to be married in the autumn."

This was at the entrance to the tunnel, on the way to the Hippopotamus.
One's voice echoes in this tunnel, and that may have been the reason the
conversation paused. Or it may have been that resonance suggests
publicity, and this was a private story. Or possibly, no more than mere
cogitative silence of the parties. Anyhow, they had emerged into the
upper world before either spoke again.

Then said the lady:--"It seems that it comes to the same thing,
whichever way we put it. Something happened."

"My dear," replied the gentleman, "you ought to have been on the Bench.
You have the summing-up faculty in the highest degree. Something
happened that did not, as the phrase is, come out. But what was
it?--that's the point! I believe we shall die without knowing."

"We certainly shall," said Mrs. Perciv