When they told him, as one or two did, that they were in love, he always said that he had gone through that stage ages ago.

Still, at nights he would take me out of my case, when he was alone, and look at me; after which he walked up and down the room in an agitated manner and cried 'Vixi.' "By and by he left me in a coat that he was no longer wearing.

Before this he had always put me into whatever coat he had on.

I lay neglected, I think, for a month, until one day he felt the pockets of the coat for something else, and pulled me out.

I don't think he remembered what was in the leather case at first; but as he looked at me his face filled with sentiment, and next day he took me with him to Cookham.