.

.

" "Aha!" said Mills.
"Even eh! eh! if you like," retorted Mr.Blunt, in an unrefined tone, that made me open my eyes, which were well opened before, still wider.
He turned to me with that horrible trick of his of commenting upon Mills as though that quiet man whom I admired, whom I trusted, and for whom I had already something resembling affection had been as much of a dummy as that other one lurking in the shadows, pitiful and headless in its attitude of alarmed chastity.
"Nothing escapes his penetration.

He can perceive a haystack at an enormous distance when he is interested." I thought this was going rather too far, even to the borders of vulgarity; but Mills remained untroubled and only reached for his tobacco pouch.
"But that's nothing to my mother's interest.

She can never see a haystack, therefore she is always so surprised and excited.