"If you will do me the favour to come this way," he said, "my slaves will prepare a small collation on the instant."
"Oh, yes," said Diavolo. "Arabian Nights, you know! You must have fresh fruits and dried fruits, choice wines, cakes, sweets, and nuts."
"It shall be done as my lord commands," said the doctor.
That same evening, when he took the children home, Dr. Galbraith found Lady Adeline alone. She was a plain woman, but well-bred in appearance; and tender thoughts had carved a sweet expression on her face.
Next to her brother Dawne, Dawne's most intimate friend, Dr. Galbraith, was the man in the world upon whom she placed the greatest reliance.
"I have brought back the children," he said.
"Ah. then they have been with you!" she answered in a tone of relief. "We hoped they were."
"Oh, yes," he said smiling. "They showed me exactly what the difficulty here had been, and I have been endeavouring to win back their esteem, for they made it appear plainly that they despised me when they found me peacefully pruning rose trees instead of dismembering live rabbits, as Mr. Ellis had apparently led them to expect."
"They told you, then?"
"Oh, exactly, I am sure—about the lady tied too tight in the middle, and everything."