Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books (Oxford University)
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THE BEETLE: A MYSTERY MARVELS AND MYSTERIES THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE VEIL THE JOSS: A REVERSION THE ADVENTURES OF AUGUSTUS SHORT THE GODDESS: A DEMON AMUSEMENT ONLY FRIVOLITIES THE CHASE OF THE RUBY
METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. LONDON 1902
III. CROSS-QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS.
XVII. THE MARCHIONESS IN SPITE OF HERSELF.
XXXII. THE LAST JOURNEY TO TWICKENHAM HOUSE.
XXXIII. THE TWINKLE IN THE FATHER'S EYES.
THE STORY IS BEGUN BY THE HON. DOUGLAS HOWARTH
Edith's words had been in my thoughts ever since she had uttered them. All night; all the morning; now that in the afternoon I had come out to take the air. I was strolling from the club to George Douglas's rooms in Ashley Gardens. More for the sake of the exercise than in the desire of seeing him. As I was passing the Abbey I glanced at the Aquarium on my right. My eye was caught by the words on a board which ran right across the front of the building, 'At No Place In The World Can So Many Sights Be Seen.' I hesitated. It was years since I had been in the place. One might as well spend half an hour beneath its roof as with George Douglas. I crossed the road and entered.
The first thing which struck me was the general grimness of everything. A winter garden it was called. Anything less garden-like one could hardly fancy. Coming from the clear sunshine of the autumn afternoon, the effect was curious. There was a larger audience than I had expected. The people were gathered, for the most part, round the central stage, on which a performance was taking place. Three girls in tights were displaying themselves on a trapeze. A moment's glance was enough. It was the sort of thing one has seen a thousand times. I passed on.
There were numerous side shows. There was a Harem; a Giant Lady; a Miraculous Dwarf; a Working Gold Mine; a Palace of Mirrors; the old familiar things. On the extreme left a huge placard was displayed:
THIS IS THE TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF MONTAGU BABBACOMBE'S THIRTY-DAYS' SLEEP, WITHOUT EATING OR DRINKING.
COME AND SEE THE MOST WONDERFUL SIGHT IN THE WORLD.