It was in fact when he most liked that he was on the whole most tempted to mystify.

"Only Mrs.
Brook ?--no others ?" "'Mrs.Brook' ?" his elder echoed; staring an instant as if literally missing the connexion; but quickly after, to show he was not stupid--and indeed it seemed to show he was delightful--smiling with extravagant intelligence.

"Is that the right thing to say ?" Mitchy gave the kindest of laughs.

"Well, I dare say I oughtn't to." "Oh I didn't mean to correct you," his interlocutor hastened to profess; "I meant on the contrary, will it be right for me too ?" Mitchy's great goggle attentively fixed him.

"Try it." "To HER ?" "To every one." "To her husband ?" "Oh to Edward," Mitchy laughed again, "perfectly!" "And must I call him 'Edward' ?" "Whatever you do will be right," Mitchy returned--"even though it should happen to be sometimes what I do." His companion, as if to look at him with a due appreciation of this, stopped swinging the nippers and put them on.