“And what do you make of it?”

“Simply that there is some cause in common. Whatever it was that injured her has injured them.” I did not quite understand his answer:⁠—

“That is true indirectly, but not directly.”

“How do you mean, Professor?” I asked. I was a little inclined to take his seriousness lightly⁠—for, after all, four days of rest and freedom from burning, harrowing anxiety does help to restore one’s spirits⁠—but when I saw his face, it sobered me. Never, even in the midst of our despair about poor Lucy, had he looked more stern.