"Do you know--I have had some very funny experiences myself lately, that can't be explained on any other ground that I can think of.

The first occurred the very day that I was here first.

Would you mind if I told you about them?
Would it bother you very much ?" "On the contrary! I shall listen with the greatest interest, I assure you," replied St Aubyn, with a smile.
So Austin began at the beginning, and gave his friend a clear, full, circumstantial account of the three occurrences which had made so deep an impression on his mind.

The story of the bricks riveted the attention of his hearer, who questioned him closely about a number of significant details; then he went on to the incident of Aunt Charlotte's proposed journey, the mysterious warning he had received, and the desperate measures to which he had been driven to keep her from going out.

St Aubyn shouted with laughter as Austin gravely described how he had locked her up in her bedroom, and how lustily she had banged and screamed to be released before it was too late to catch the train.