THE RETURN OF THE EXILES 



some things arrange themselves by primordial 

 decree better than you can arrange them, then is 

 the Nature cure a hissing sham, and I am a con 

 victed duffer. You led me to believe that you 

 could lift yourself by your own waistband above 

 the animals. I was fool enough to believe it. 

 And now you shatter all my hopes and smash 

 your own peace of mind with an act of incompre 

 hensible damn nonsense. Excuse my vehemence 

 where is that boy ? &quot; 



&quot; He s out there with the yellow dog, making 

 a snow-man. Swear away.&quot; 



&quot; That is what you oufrht to be doing, in 

 stead of trying to make snow-women out of hot 

 blood.&quot; 



You are right. I acknowledge it. But you 

 might as well let me make a clean breast of it. 

 It will aggravate you, but it will relieve me; be 

 sides, it will all come out sooner or later, and you 

 had better hear it from me.&quot; 



&quot; Great Scott ! has the ongoing got so far as a 

 scandal, or a crime ? &quot; 



&quot; Listen to me, please. That girl came into my 

 life with a thousand irresistible charms that were 

 like tentacles.&quot; 



&quot; Figs ! &quot; said the Doctor. 



&quot; She wound herself about all the outlooks of 

 my better nature like a wild vine &quot; 



&quot; Moonshine,&quot; said the Doctor. 



&quot; She fitted herself unconsciously to all the 

 sweeter aspirations that you had evoked &quot; 



&quot; Laura Matilda rubbish,&quot; remarked the Doctor. 



37 



