said shortly. "It's insanitary."

Adele's lips twitched, and Jill put a hand to her mouth.

"I can't think how it is," said Daphne. "Mine was all right."

"Of course it was," retorted her husband. "So was Adele's. So was
Jill's. By the time you three nymphs are through, there's no hot water
left."

"That," said I, "is where the geyser comes in. The agent was at some
pains to point out that it was an auxiliary."

"Was he, indeed?" said Berry. "Well, if he'd been at some pains to
point out that it leaked, stank, became white-hot, and was generally
about the finest labour-wasting device ever invented, he'd 've been
nearer the mark. If he'd added that it wasn't a geyser at all, but a
cross between a magic lantern and a money-box----"

"Knack," said Jonah. "That's all it needs. You haven't got the hang
of it yet."

The savagery with which my brother-in-law attacked a roll was almost
frightening.

"W-why money-box?" said Jill tremulously.

"Because," said Berry, "it has to be bribed to devil you. Until you've
put ten centimes in the metre, you don't get any gas. It's a pretty
idea."

Adele began to shake with laughter.

"You must have done something wrong," said I.

Berry shrugged his shoulders.

"Provided," he said, "that you are fairly active and physically fit,
you can't go wrong. But it's a strain on one's sanity.... No, I don't
think I'll have any omelet. They're so impatient."

I decided to apply the spur.

"But the agent showed us exactly----"

"Look here," said Berry, "you enter that bathroom, clothed--after a
fashion--and in your right mind. Then you leave it for some matches.
On your return you turn on the gas. After wasting four matches, you
laugh pleasantly, put on your dressing-gown again, and go about the
house asking everyone for a ten-centime piece... This you place in the
slot. Then you go out again and try to remember where you put the
matches. By the time you're back, the whole room is full of gas, so
you open the window wide and clean your teeth to fill up the time.
Long before it's safe you strike another match. The thing lights with
an explosion that shortens your life.... In about two minutes it emits
a roaring sound and begins to shake all over. By now all the taps are
red-hot, and, by the time you've burnt yourself to hell, you're
wondering whether, if you start at once, you'll have time to leave the
house before the thing bursts. Finally, you knock the gas