“Sit you down, old friend,” commanded Lady Selina.
“A very sad mishap, my lady.”
“Very.”
Then, for the first time, she heard the word that was distressing the parson. The Ancient, feeling as if he were enthroned beside the queen regnant, and regarded as a trusty councillor, remarked solemnly:
“Garge Ball do say ’twas arson.”
Instantly Lady Selina became alert. She sat up in every sense of the phrase, alert, interrogative, almost excited.
“Arson?” she repeated sharply. “Impossible!”
Nicodemus wagged his hoary head. This was his great moment. To rise to it adequately became a sort of obsession.
“I knows what I knows,” he affirmed positively.
“Stuff and nonsense!” exclaimed the parson.