What would you think ?" He paused a moment, and went on: "You could not adopt the ordinary explanation.

The ordinary explanation of putting on singular clothes is that you look nice in them; you would not think that Lord Kitchener dressed up like a ballet girl out of ordinary personal vanity.

You would think it much more likely that he inherited a dancing madness from a great grandmother; or had been hypnotised at a seance; or threatened by a secret society with death if he refused the ordeal.

With Baden-Powell, say, it might be a bet--but not with Kitchener.

I should know all that, because in my public days I knew him quite well.