 more likely than ever to alienate Joe from me if he believed it, I
had a further restraining dread that he would not believe it, but would assert
it with the fabulous dogs and veal-cutlets as a monstrous invention. However, I
temporized with myself, of course - for, was I not wavering between right and
wrong, when the thing is always done? - and resolved to make a full disclosure
if I should see any such new occasion as a new chance of helping in the
discovery of the assailant.
    The Constables, and the Bow Street men from London - for, this happened in
the days of the extinct red-waistcoated police - were about the house for a week
or two, and did pretty much what I have heard and read of like authorities doing
in other such cases. They took up several obviously wrong people, and they ran
their heads very hard against wrong ideas, and persisted in trying to fit the
circumstances to the ideas, instead of trying to extract ideas from the
circumstances. Also, they stood about the door of the Jolly Bargemen, with
knowing and reserved looks that filled the whole neighbourhood with admiration;
and they had a mysterious manner of taking their drink, that was almost as good
as taking the culprit. But not quite, for they never did it.
    Long after these constitutional powers had dispersed, my sister lay very ill
in bed. Her sight was disturbed, so that she saw objects multiplied, and grasped
at visionary teacups and wine-glasses instead of the realities; her hearing was
greatly impaired; her memory also; and her speech was unintelligible. When, at
last, she came round so far as to be helped down-stairs, it was still necessary
to keep my slate always by her, that she might indicate in writing what she
could not indicate in speech. As she was (very bad handwriting apart) a more
than indifferent speller, and as Joe was a more than indifferent reader,
extraordinary complications arose between them, which I was always called in to
solve. The administration of mutton instead of medicine, the substitution of Tea
for Joe, and the baker for bacon, were among the mildest of my own mistakes.
    However, her temper was greatly improved, and she was patient. A tremulous
uncertainty of the action of all her limbs soon became a part of her regular
state, and afterwards, at intervals of two or three months, she would often put
her hands to her head, and would then remain for about a week at a time in some
gloomy aberration of mind. We were at a
