Fenellan reported Colney to be 'busy in the act of distilling one of his Prussic acid essays.' Fenellan would have jumped to go.

He informed Victor, as a probe, that the business of the Life Insurance was at periods 'fearfully necrological! Inexplicably, he was not invited.
Did it mean, that he was growing dull?
He looked inside instead of out, and lost the clue.
His behaviour on the evening of the departure showed plainly what would have befallen Mr.Sowerby on the expedition, had not he as well as Colney been excluded.

Two carriages and a cab conveyed the excursionists, as they merrily called themselves, to the terminus.
They were Victor's guests; they had no trouble, no expense, none of the nipper reckonings which dog our pleasures; the state of pure bliss.
Fenellan's enviousness drove him at the Rev.Mr.Barmby until the latter jumped to the seat beside Nesta in her carriage, Mademoiselle de Seilles and Mr.Sowerby facing them.

Lady Grace Halley, in the carriage behind, heard Nesta's laugh; which Mr.Barmby had thought vacuous, beseeming little girls, that laugh at nothings.

She questioned Fenellan.
'Oh,' said he, 'I merely mentioned that the Rev.gentleman carries his musical instrument at the bottom of his trunk.' She smiled: 'And who are in the cab ?' 'Your fiddles are in the cab, in charge of Peridon and Catkin.