“But I had no notion that fish were such fools, some of them, at least.  There were some conger eels seven feet long, and when we stared at them they went and stuck their little heads into crevices in the rocks.  I should like to have reasoned with them, for they evidently thought they were hidden, while, in fact, they were wriggling upside down, full in view.  Well, so then we went to see the octopus.  One was just like a pink satin bag, covered with large ivory buttons, but that was only because it was inside out.  While I was watching it I rather started, for I saw in a corner of the den close to me an enormous sort of bloated sea toadstool (as I thought), but it had eyes, it was covered with warts, it seemed very faint, and it heaved and panted.  By that time a conglomeration like a mass of writhing serpents was letting itself down the side of the den, and when it got to the bottom it shot out a head, made itself into the exact shape of an owl without wings, and began to fly about the place.  That made three.

“An old woman who was looking at them too, called out then, ’Oh, you brute, I hate you,’ and Val said to her, ’My good lady, allow me to suggest that it is not hatred you feel, but envy.  Envy is a very bad passion, and it is our duty to try and restrain it.’  ‘Sir,’ said the old lady, rather fiercely.  ‘No, we must not give way to envy,’ Val persisted, ’though, indeed, what are we in comparison with creatures who can turn themselves inside out as soon as look at you, fly without wings, and walk up a precipice by means of one pearl button?’ ’If the police were after you, it might be handy to turn yourself inside out, I’ll allow,’ she answered, in a very loud, angry voice, ’so as they should not know you; but I wouldn’t, if I could, I’ll assure you, young man, no, that I wouldn’t, not for all the pearl buttons in the world.’

“Well, I never wrote such a long letter in my life, it must count for three, mind.  We had a great deal more fun after that, but Val and I got away, because a little crowd collected.  Cray stayed behind, pretending he did not belong to us, and he heard a man say, ’Perhaps the gentleman’s a parson; that sort always think they ought to be moralising about something or other.’  And he found out by their talk that the old lady was a clearstarcher, so when she was alone again we went back.  Val said he should be some time at Brighton, and he gave her his address and offered her his washing.  She asked for his name, too, and he replied—­you know how grave Val is—­’Well, ma’am, I’m sorry to say I cannot oblige you with my name, because I don’t know it.  All I am sure about is, that it begins with an M; but I’ve written up to London, and I shall know for a certainty the week after next.’  So she winked at me, and tapped herself on the forehead.  Val is very much vexed because he came up to London about the will, and the lawyers say he cannot—­or somebody else, I don’t know which—­cannot administer it unless he takes the name of Melcombe.  So what he said was quite true, and afterwards we heard the old lady telling her friends that he was demented, but he seemed very harmless and good.