one occasion."

"Very well. You may also have heard that the late Mr. Norman was a
remarkably well-bred man. In and out of the House of Commons, courteous
almost to a fault. One day I happened to interrupt him when he was
absorbed over an Act of Parliament. Before I could apologize--I tell you
this in the strictest confidence--he threw the Act of Parliament at
my head. Ninety-nine women out of a hundred would have thrown it back
again. Knowing his constitution, I decided on waiting a day or two. On
the second day, my anticipations were realized. Mr. Norman's great toe
was as big as my fist and as red as a lobster; he apologized for the Act
of Parliament with tears in his eyes. Suppressed gout in Mr. Norman's
temper; suppressed gout in the Lord President's temper. _He_ will have a
toe; and, if I can prevail upon my daughter to call upon him, I have not
the least doubt he will apologize to her with tears in _his_ eyes."

This interesting experiment was never destined to be tried. Right or
wrong, Mrs. Presty's theory remained the only explanation of the judge's
severity. Mr. Sarrazin attempted to change the subject. Mrs. Presty had
not quite done with it yet. "There is one more thing I want to say," she
proceeded. "Will his lordship's remarks appear in the newspapers?"

"Not a doubt of it."

"In that case I will take care (for my daughter's sake) that no
newspapers enter the house to-morrow. As for visitors, we needn't be
afraid of them. Catherine is not likely to be able to leave her room;
the worry of this miserable business has quite broken her down."

The doctor returned at that moment.

Without taking the old lady's gloomy view of his patient, he admitted
that she was in a low nervous condition, and he had reason to suppose,
judging by her reply to a question which he had ventured to put, that
she had associations with Scotland which made a visit to that country
far from agreeable to her. His advice was that she should leave
Edinburgh as soon as possible, and go South. If the change of climate
led to no improvement, she would at least be in a position to consult
the best physicians in London. In a day or two more it would be safe to
remove her--provided she was not permitted to exhaust her strength by
taking long railway journeys.

Having given his advice, the doctor took leave. Soon after he had gone,
Kitty made her appearance, charged with a message from Mrs. Linley's
room.

"Hasn't the physic sent your mo