And then he began to think that there was in the very next parish somebody whom he did not hate, but who, on the contrary, interested him, and was always ready to listen to his troubles, and he also became aware of the fact that whilst his mind had been thinking his legs had been walking, and that he was very near the abode of that person—­almost at its gates, in short.  He paused and looked at his watch; it had stopped at half-past eleven, the one blow that George had succeeded in planting upon him having landed on it, to the great detriment of both the watch and the striker’s knuckles; but the sun told him that it was about half-past twelve, not too early to call.  So he opened the gate, and, advancing up an avenue of old beeches to a square, red-brick house of the time of Queen Anne, boldly rang the bell.

Was Miss Lee at home?  Yes, Miss Lee was in the greenhouse; perhaps Mr. Philip would step into the garden, which Mr. Philip did accordingly.

“How do you do, Philip?  I’m delighted to see you; you’ve just come in time to help in the slaughter.”

“Slaughter, slaughter of what—­a pig?”

“No, green fly.  I’m going to kill thousands.”

“You cruel girl.”

“I daresay it is cruel, but I don’t care.  Grumps always said that I had no heart, and, so far as green fly are concerned, Grumps was certainly right.  Now, just look at this lily.  It is an auratum.  I gave three-and-six (out of my own money) for that bulb last autumn, and now the bloom is not worth twopence, all through green fly.  If I were a man I declare I should swear.  Please swear for me, Philip.  Go outside and do it, so that I mayn’t have it on my conscience.  But now for vengeance.  Oh, I say, I forgot, you know, I suppose.  I ought to be looking very sorry——­”

“Why, what’s the matter?  Any one dead?”

“Oh, no, so much better than that. It’s got Grumps.”

“Got her, what has got her?  What is ’it’?”

“Why, Chancery, of course.  I always call Chancery ‘it.’  I wouldn’t take its name in vain for worlds.  I am too much afraid.  I might be made to ‘show a cause why,’ and then be locked up for contempt, which frequently happens after you have tried to ‘show a cause.’  That is what has happened to Grumps.  She is now showing a cause; shortly she will be locked up.  When she comes out, if she ever does come out, I think that she will avoid wards in Chancery in future; she will have too much sympathy with them, and too much practical experience of their position.”

“But what on earth do you mean, Maria?  What has happened to Miss Gregson?” (anglice Grumps).