test possible twinkle in his eyes.

Trix laughed outright.

"Oh, Father, don't try to be polite," she urged. "I know it is the
muddliest kind of explanation that ever existed. Can't you suggest some
way of making it clearer?"

"Supposing," he said, "you call the first person A, the second B, and the
third one C. And let me know first exactly your position towards A."

"All right," agreed Trix cheerfully. "And even supposing you guess the
tiniest bit what I am talking about, you won't let yourself guess, will
you?"

Father Dormer assured her that he would not. He certainly felt she need
have no smallest anxiety on that score, having in view her own method of
explanation, but he tactfully refrained from saying so.

"Well," began Trix again, and rather slowly, "A has a secret. He doesn't
know I know it, and I found it out quite by accident. He hasn't said it
is a secret, but I know it is, because nobody else knows about it. Well,
B knows A, but doesn't know A's secret, and because she doesn't know A's
secret she is unhappy about A's conduct, whereas if she knew the secret I
am pretty sure she wouldn't be so unhappy. And A need never know B does
know, even if I tell her. And I feel sure from A's point of view it would
not matter telling B, while it _would_ be a good thing for B to know.
But, in order to tell her, I may have to let her know how I learnt A's
secret, and in doing that I should possibly have to tell lies, or let her
know C's secret, which I promised not to tell. Because it was in meeting
A that I found it out. Of course I may not have to do either, but there
is the risk. Do you think I can take it? And is the matter quite clear
now?"

Father Dormer smiled.

"I think I have grasped it," he said. "Well, in the first place, it isn't
a matter of life and death, is it?"

"Oh no," said Trix.

"Then if I were you, I wouldn't take any risk about telling lies."

"No," said Trix relieved, "I thought I had better not. But then there is
C's secret."

"Let us take A's secret first," suggested Father Dormer. "You feel quite
sure it is important to let B know it, and that you are justified in
disclosing it?"

Trix reflected.

"I feel quite sure it is important B should know," she said. "And I feel
pretty sure I am justified in disclosing it. At first I thought perhaps I
ought not to do so. But I know B won't tell any one else, so it can't
matter her knowing as well as me. No; I am sure it can't," ended Trix