“Was you a party in anything, ma’am?” says Mr. Guppy, transferring his cross-examination.

“No.”

“ Not a party in anything, ma’am?” says Mr. Guppy.

Mrs. Chadband shakes her head.

“Perhaps you were acquainted with somebody who was a party in something, ma’am?” says Mr. Guppy, who likes nothing better than to model his conversation on forensic principles.