For some days I inclined towards an
unfortunate boating accident in the pond--Mark, a very
indifferent swimmer, myself almost exhausted in a gallant attempt
to hold him up. And then he himself gave me the idea, he and
Miss Norris between them, and so put himself in my hands; without
risk of discovery, I should have said, had you not discovered me.
"We were talking about ghosts. Mark had been even more vain,
pompous and absurd than usual, and I could see that Miss Norris
was irritated by it. After dinner she suggested dressing up as a
ghost and frightening him. I thought it my duty to warn her that
Mark took any joke against himself badly, but she was determined
to do it. I gave way reluctantly. Reluctantly, also, I told her
the secret of the passage. (There is an underground passage from
the library to the bowling-green. You should exercise your
ingenuity, Mr. Gillingham, in trying to discover it. Mark came
upon it by accident a year ago. It was a godsend to him; he
could drink there in greater secrecy. But he had to tell me
about it.
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