Mr. Guppy replying that he is not much to boast of, Mr. Jobling ventures on the question, “How is she ?” This Mr. Guppy resents as a liberty, retorting, “Jobling, there are chords in the human mind⁠—” Jobling begs pardon.

“Any subject but that!” says Mr. Guppy with a gloomy enjoyment of his injury. “For there are chords, Jobling⁠—”

Mr. Jobling begs pardon again.