CHAPTERVI
MISSHEDA
Itmightbethoughtthatafterallthistherewouldhavebeenapainfulexplanationonthefollowingmorning，butnothingofthesorthappened。Afterallthegreatestartistheartofignoringthings，withoutwhichtheworldcouldscarcelygoon，evenamongthesavageraces。Thusonthisoccasionthetwochiefactorsinthesceneofthepreviousnightpretendedthattheyhadforgottenwhattookplace，asIbelieve，toalargeextenttruly。Thefierceflameofdrinkintheoneandofpassionintheotherhadburntthewebofremembrancetoashes。Theyknewthatsomethingunpleasanthadoccurredanditsmainoutlines；theresthadvanishedaway；perhapsbecausetheyknewalsothattheywerenotresponsibleforwhattheysaidanddid，andthereforethatwhatoccurredhadnorighttoapermanentnicheintheirmemories。Itwas，asitwere，somethingoutsideoftheirnormalselves。AtleastsoIconjectured，andtheirconductseemedtogivecolourtomyguess。
Thedoctorspoketomeofthematterfirst。
“Ifeartherewasarowlastnight。”hesaid；“ithashappenedherebeforeovercards，andwillnodoubthappenagainuntilmattersclearthemselvesupsomehow。Marnham，asyousee，drinks，andwhendrunkisthebiggestliarintheworld，andI，I