GENIUS ASSERTS ITSELF. The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking. Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened. "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously. The landlady shook her head. "No, sir," she began, and her voice was faded and thin and anxious like herself; "he ain't what you'd call ill--not by no means. Not, that is to say, in body; but I'm thinkin' 'is mind ain't quite what it ought to be--not for peacefulness." "I'm sorry to hear that," said Comethup gravely. "Hadn't I better see him? I think you said he was in." "There's a word I'd like to say to you first, sir," she interrupted hastily. "Might I make so bold as to ask if you're a friend of Mr. Carlaw's, or perhaps a relation?" "Yes," said Comethup, "I am his cousin. Why do you ask?" The woman came a little nearer to him and mysteriously lowered her voice. "Sir, it's now a matter of nine weeks since Mr. Carlaw first entered this 'ouse. I won't deny it, as I was took with 'im; frank and free was 'e, an' 'earty, to the point o' bein' quite familiar. 'Is meals 'e's 'ad reg'lar, and always a kind word as to the cookin', and the quality of things in general. And I won't deny, sir, as we're proud of 'im. 'E give me one of 'is books, and though I couldn't--'avin' 'ad to work 'ard all my days, an' po'try bein' a thing, to my mind, as one must be eddicated up to--couldn't make much of it, still there it was, and the print, I must say, was like the 'Oly Bible for clearness. But proud we may be, and proud we may continue, and I won't deny as 'e gives the 'ouse wot one might call 'tone'; but neither pride nor tone never filled any one's stomach yet, if you'll forgive me mentionin' such things before a gentleman." "I suppose," said Comethup slowly, "I suppose you mean my cousin has not--not been able to keep quite regular as regards his payments, eh?" "Reg'lar ain't the word, sir, I do assure you. He ain't paid nothink yet; not even the week in advance as I asks for in general from all as comes to me. But 'e were that smilin' and 'appy and easy with me when 'e first set foot in the place, and such a way 'e 'ad with 'im, that it seemed like a insult to mention such a thing." "Yes, I think I understand," said Comethup. "If, without hurting your feelings or--or disturbing your arrangements in any way, I might be permitted to be responsible for this bill, perhaps----"