Previous - Next

fact that the next would be the last. I did not think that there seemed
any occasion even for this; but he said it was better to be on the safe
side, and he would make up the dozen. He now went to his business as
usual; and I understood that he was never more prosperous, in spite of
his heavy fine. He was unable to give me much of his time during the
day; for he was one of those valuable men who are paid, not by the year,
month, week, or day, but by the minute. His wife and daughters, however,
made much of me, and introduced me to their friends, who came in shoals
to call upon me.

One of these persons was a lady called Mahaina. Zulora (the elder of my
host's daughters) ran up to her and embraced her as soon as she entered
the room, at the same time inquiring tenderly after her "poor
dipsomania." Mahaina answered that it was just as bad as ever; she was a
perfect martyr to it, and her excellent health was the only thing which
consoled her under her affliction.

Then the other ladies joined in with condolences and the never-failing
suggestions which they had ready for every mental malady. They
recommended their own straightener and disparaged Mahaina's. Mrs.
Nosnibor had a favourite nostrum, but I could catch little of its nature.
I heard the words "full confidence that the desire to drink will cease
when the formula has been repeated * * * this confidence is _everything_
* * * far from undervaluing a thorough determination never to touch
spirits again * * * fail too often * * * formula a _certain cure_ (with
great emphasis) * * * prescribed form * * * full conviction." The
conversation then became more audible, and was carried on at considerable
length. I should perplex myself and the reader by endeavouring to follow
the ingenious perversity of all they said; enough, that in the course of
time the visit came to an end, and Mahaina took her leave receiving
affectionate embraces from all the ladies. I had remained in the
background after the first ceremony of introduction, for I did not like
the looks of Mahaina, and the conversation displeased me. When she left
the room I had some consolation in the remarks called forth by her
departure.

At first they fell to praising her very demurely. She was all this that
and the other, till I disliked her more and more at every word, and
inquired how it was that the straighteners had not been able to cure her
as they had cured Mr. Nosnibor.

There was a shade of significance on Mrs. Nosnibor's face as I said this,
which seemed to imply that she did not consider Mahaina's case to be
quite one for a straightener. It flashed across me that perhaps the poor
woman did not drink at all. I knew that I ought not to have inquired,
but I could not help it, and asked point blank whether she did or not.

"We can none of us judge of the condition of other people," said Mrs.
Nosnibor in a gravely charitable tone and with a look towards Zulora.

Previous - Next