It may be said that I gain nothing by this; that the talker will be as curious about Northampton as he would have been about Nottingham, and that Bradlaugh and Labouchere and boots will serve his turn quite as well as Broadhurst and lace and Robin Hood.

But that is not so.

Beginning on Northampton in the most confident manner, it suddenly flashes across him that he has mistaken Northampton for Nottingham.

"How foolish of me!" he says.

I maintain a severe silence.
He is annoyed.