Percy, yielding to the good-natured impulse of the moment, alluded to what had happened in Doctor Lagarde's consulting-room.
"You missed something worth hearing when you left the Doctor the other night," he said.

"We continued the sitting; and _you_ turned up again among the persons of the drama, in a new character--" "Excuse me for interrupting you," said Captain Bervie.

"I am a member of the committee, charged with the arrangements of the ball, and I must really attend to my duties." He withdrew without waiting for a reply.

Percy looked round wonderingly at Major Mulvany.

"Strange!" he said, "I feel rather attracted toward Captain Bervie; and he seems to have taken such a dislike to me that he can hardly behave with common civility.