sum-upwardly:--"No worse, at any rate!"

"Tremendously better, Lord Ancester! _Tremendously_ better, thanks to
you and Mrs. Bailey.... Catch hold of the cup, Nurse.... Yes, I've
drained it to the dregs.... I know what you are going to say, my
lord...."

"I was going to say that Mrs. Bailey and I are not on the same footing.
Mrs. Bailey didn't shoot you.... Yes, now grip hard! That's right!
Better since yesterday certainly--no doubt of it!"

"Mrs. Bailey didn't shoot me in the mere vulgar literal sense. But she
was contributory, if not an accessory after the fact. It was written in
the Book of Fate that Mrs. Bailey would bring me beef-tea this very day.
If she had accepted another engagement the incident would have had to be
rewritten; which is impossible by hypothesis. Moreover, so far as I can
be said to have been shot, it was as a trespasser, not as a man.... Is
there a close season for trespassers? If there is, I admit that you may
be technically right. _Qui facit per alium facit per se_.... By-the-by,
I hope poor Alius is happier in his mind...."

"Poor who?" says the Earl. He is not giving close attention to the
convalescent's disconnected chatter. He has been one himself, and knows
how returning life sets loose the tongue.

"The _alius_ you facitted per. The poor chap that had the bad luck to
shoot me. Old Stephen--isn't he? Poor old chap! _What_ a mischance!"

"Oh yes--old Stephen! I see--he's _alius_, of course. He comes over two
or three times a day to see how you are going on. They think him rather
a nuisance in the house, I believe. I have tried to comfort him as well
as I could. He will be glad of to-day's report. But he can't help being
dispirited, naturally."

"He's so unaccustomed to homicide, poor old chap! People should be
educated to it, in case of accidents. They might be allowed to kill a
few women and children for practice--should never be left to the mercy
of their consciences, all raw and susceptible. Poor old Stephen! I
really think he might be allowed to come and see me now. I'm so very
much improved that a visit from my assassin would be a pleasant
experience--a wholesome stimulus. Wouldn't throw me back at all! Poor
old Stephen!" He seemed seriously concerned about the old boy; would not
be content without a promise that he and his wife should pay him an
early visit.

He had been immensely better after that M.P. paid him a visit yesterday
morning. Mrs. Bailey confirmed this, testify