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16 THE CAUSE AND THE CAUSER. The widow was indignant. Did the sitting magistrate or the bumbling barristers or Dr. Earwig mean to insinuate that her poor dear husband had grown those nasty things? They were very much mistaken if they thought so! His proboscis was as clean and polished at twilight of the previous day, when they flew out together, aswell, as one of the sitting magistrate's horns when fresh from its socket. Of that she was certain. But being cross-questioned by the bland professor, who had a remarkable knack of insinuating himself into corners and confidence, she admitted that she had once or twice before seen one of those nasty things(" Foreign bodies!" interposed Sir Helix, with a chuckle. "Nasty things," persisted the widow.)on her husband's proboscis ; but they had always got rubbed off after a time. "Besides," added she, with a toss of her head, other creatures can pick them up too. For instance, there was one on the head of one of the bumbling barristers who came to fetch me just now."