ch Sypher, during his years of self-education, had once
studied, in the confused notion that it was culture. All knowledge is good;
from the theory of quaternions to the way to cut a ham-frill. It is sure to
come in useful, somehow. An authority on Central African dialects has been
known to find them invaluable in altercations with cabmen, and a converted
burglar has, before now, become an admirable house-agent. What Sypher,
therefore, had considered merely learned lumber in his head cemented his
friendship with Cousin Jane--or rather, to speak by the book, soldered it
with pewter. As for the Cure, however, she did not believe in it, and told
him so, roundly. She had been brought up to believe in doctors, the
Catechism, the House of Lords, the inequality of the sexes, and the
Oldrieve family, and in that faith she would live and die. Sypher bore her
no malice. She did not call the Cure pestilential quackery. He was
beginning not to despise the day of small things.

"It may be very good in its way," she said, "just as Liberalism and
Darwinism and eating in restaurants may be good things. But they are not
for me."

Cousin Jane's conversation provided him with much innocent entertainment.
Mrs. Oldrieve was content to talk about the weather, and what Zora and Emmy
used to like to eat when they were little girls: subjects interesting in
themselves but not conducive to discussion. Cousin Jane was nothing if not
argumentative. She held views, expounded them, and maintained them. Nothing
short of a declaration from Jehovah bursting in glory through the sky could
have convinced her of error. Even then she would have been annoyed. She
profoundly disapproved of Emmy's marriage to Septimus, whom she
characterized as a doddering idiot. Sypher defended his friend warmly. He
also defended Wiggleswick at whose ways and habits the good lady expressed
unrestrained indignation. She could not have spoken more disrespectfully of
Antichrist.

"You mark my words," she said, "he'll murder them both in their sleep."

Concerning Zora, too, she was emphatic.

"I am not one of those who think every woman ought to get married; but if
she can't conduct herself decently without a husband, she ought to have
one."

"But surely Mrs. Middlemist's conduct is irreproachable," said Sypher.

"Irreproachable? Do you think trapesing about alone all over the
earth--mixing with all sorts of people she doesn't know from Adam, and
going goodness knows where