And then as her daughter said nothing to help her: "At any rate he did loathe it ?" Nanda, for a reply, simply after an instant put a question.

"Well, how can he understand ?" "You mean, like me, why you do go there so much?
How can he indeed ?" "I don't mean that," the girl returned--"it's just that he understands perfectly, because he saw them all, in such an extraordinary way--well, what can I ever call it ?--clutch me and cling to me." Mrs.Brook, with full gravity, considered this picture.

"And was Mr.
Cashmore to-day so ridiculous ?" "Ah he's not ridiculous, mamma--he's very unhappy.

He thinks now Lady Fanny probably won't go, but he feels that may be after all only the worse for him." "She WILL go," Mrs.Brook answered with one of her roundabout approaches to decision.

"He IS too great an idiot.