Cecil made play with a pacifying hand. “We shall arrive at no understanding unless you are good enough to be perfectly calm. I repeat, my cousin Captain Beauchamp is more or less at variance with his family, owing to these doctrines of yours, and your extraordinary Michael-Scott-the-wizard kind of spell you seem to have cast upon his common sense as a man of the world. _You have him_, as you say. I do not dispute it. I have no doubt you have him fast. But here is a case demanding a certain respect for decency. Pray, if I may ask you, be still, be quiet, and hear me out if you can. I am accustomed to explain myself to the comprehension of most men who are at large, and I tell you candidly I am not to be deceived or diverted from my path by a show of ignorance.” “What is your immediate object, sir?” said Dr. Shrapnel, chagrined by the mystification within him, and a fear that his patience was going. “Exactly,” Cecil nodded. He was acute enough to see that he had established the happy commencement of fretfulness in the victim, which is equivalent to a hook well struck in the mouth of your fish, and with an angler’s joy he prepared to play his man. “Exactly. I have stated it. And you ask me. But I really must decline to run over the whole ground again for you. I am here to fulfil a duty to my family; a highly disagreeable one to me. I may fail, like the lady who came here previous to the Election, for the result of which I am assured I ought to thank your eminently disinterested services. I do. You recollect a lady calling on you?” Dr. Shrapnel consulted his memory. “I think I have a recollection of some lady calling.” “Oh! you think you have a recollection of some lady calling.” “Do you mean a lady connected with Captain Beauchamp?” “A lady connected with Captain Beauchamp. You are not aware of the situation of the lady?” “If I remember, she was a kind of confidential housekeeper, some one said, to Captain Beauchamp’s uncle.” “A kind of confidential housekeeper! She is recognized in our family as a lady, sir. I can hardly expect better treatment at your hands than she met with, but I do positively request you to keep your temper whilst I am explaining my business to you. Now, sir! what now?” A trifling breeze will set the tall tree bending, and Dr. Shrapnel did indeed appear to display the agitation of a full-driving storm when he was but harassed and vexed. “Will you mention your business concisely, if you Please?” he said. “Precisely; it is my endeavour. I supposed I had done so. To be frank, I would advise you to summon a member of your household, wife, daughter, housekeeper, any one you like, to whom you may appeal, and I too, whenever your recollections are at fault.” “I am competent,” said the doctor. “But in justice to you,” urged Cecil considerately. Dr. Shrapnel smoothed his chin hastily. “Have you done?” “Believe me, the instant I have an answer to my question, I have done.” “Name your question.”