"It was born and bred in him, and he couldn't have given it up to save his life. As William--that was my first--used to say when I complained of his Eurasian ways: 'You mustn't expect a wild goose to lay a tame egg.' William my third could no more help being weak at Christmas than a child can help over-eating itself." "Didn't it worry you to have him break out?" "No, I don't know that it did," replied Mrs. Hulver, placidly. "It had its advantage. As William--that was my first--used to say when he and his contractor settled their accounts: 'Everything has its advantage if you know where to look for it.'" "What advantage could your husband's bout of drinking have for you?" asked Eola, glancing at her in mild wonder. "It gave me my chance of speaking. When he recovered and could listen to reason, even though his poor head ached badly, I had the opportunity of letting him have a bit of my mind, and of telling him some home truths I never could have put before him at any other time. Now with William, my second, it was different. He was always ready to come up to attention at a moment's notice. Stiff and straight, he lived by rule; and the whole time I was with him I never once got the chance of emptying my mind." Her voice had a distinct ring of regret in it as she made the confession. "I tried it two or three times; but the moment I began he rose from his chair and drew himself up haughty and proud, just like his colonel when the men came to the orderly room with their complaints. He heard what I had to say in a dead silence, that sort of cooled you down, and all he replied was: 'I'll look into the matter, Maria, and see what can be done;' and there it ended. With William, my third, it was a real pleasure to rate him. He was such a gentleman in his repentance and his apologies. But as I was telling you, miss, about this poor young man, Pantulu Iyer's son. I can sympathise with him in his change of religion as I sympathised with William, my third. It will take some time before he will get even with himself in his new faith." "The cases are not on all fours, Mrs. Hulver." "No; they are at sixes and sevens if all I hear is true. As William--that was my second--used to say: 'Keep things straight and you'll be master; but let them get at sixes and sevens and they will master you.' He made a great study of his fellowmen and was full of wise sayings. I felt very lonely when he died." "What did he die of?" "Microscopes; the doctor said he swallowed some when he was out route" (she called it rowte) "marching. They were in the water that he drank by the roadside. They gave him fever which carried him off in three weeks, and left me a widow for the second time." CHAPTER X There was one subject alone on which Miss Wenaston and her housekeeper disagreed. It had nothing to do with the management of the house. It was marriage.