“Yes, that’s very interesting,” replied Lewes. “There is certainly a wide field for research in that direction.”
“You might throw much light on our mental processes,” replied Challis.
(It was as the outcome of this conversation that Gregory Lewes did, two years afterwards, take up this line of study. The only result up to the present time is his little brochure Reflexive Associations, which has hardly added to our knowledge of the subject.)
IV
Challis’s anticipation that he and Lewes would be greatly favoured by the Wonder’s company was fully realised.
The child put in an appearance at half-past nine the next morning, just as the governess cart was starting out to fetch him. When he was admitted he went straight to the library, climbed on to the chair, upon which the volumes of the Encyclopædia still remained, and continued his reading where he had left off on the previous evening.
He read steadily throughout the day without giving utterance to speech of any kind.
Challis and Lewes went out in the afternoon, and left the child deep in study. They came in at five o’clock, and went to the library. The Wonder, however, was not there.
Challis rang the bell.