There is the whole case in a nutshell. Collar me again, Mr.
Betteredge. If it's any vent to your feelings, collar me again."
God help me! my feelings were not to be relieved in that way. "Give me
your reasons!" That was all I could say to him.
"You shall hear my reasons to-morrow," said the Sergeant. "If Miss
Verinder refuses to put off her visit to her aunt (which you will find
Miss Verinder will do), I shall be obliged to lay the whole case before
your mistress to-morrow. And, as I don't know what may come of it, I
shall request you to be present, and to hear what passes on both sides.
Let the matter rest for to-night. No, Mr. Betteredge, you don't get a
word more on the subject of the Moonstone out of me. There is your table
spread for supper. That's one of the many human infirmities which I
always treat tenderly. If you will ring the bell, I'll say grace. 'For
what we are going to receive----'"
"I wish you a good appetite to it, Sergeant," I said. "My appetite is
gone. I'll wait and see you served, and then I'll ask you to excuse me,
if I go away, and try to get the better of this by myself."
I saw him served with the best of everything--and I shouldn't have been
sorry if the best of everything had choked him.
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