Everything was
produced as easily as if it had been the ordinary fare, and Zachariah
was astonished at his wife's equality to the emergency. Whence she
obtained the ham and beefsteak pie he could not conjecture. She
apologised for having nothing hot; would have had something better if
she had known, etc., etc., and then sat down at the head of the
table. The Major sat on her right, Pauline next to him, and opposite
to Pauline, Caillaud and Zachariah. Their hostess immediately began
to ask questions about the events of that fatal night when they all
left London.
The Major, however, interposed, and said that it would perhaps be
better if nothing was said upon that subject.
"A dismal topic," he observed; "talking about it can do no good, and
I for one don't want to be upset by thinking about it just before I
go to bed."
"At least," said Zachariah, "you can tell us why you are in
Manchester?"
"Certainly," replied the Major. "In the first place, Paris is not
quite so pleasant as it used to be; London, too, is not attractive;
and we thought that, on the whole, Manchester was to be preferred.
Moreover, a good deal will have to be done during the next
twelvemonth, and Manchester will do it.
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