第68章

The girl sampled the name musingly, once or twice--"Snodgrass.Snodgrass.No, I could not endure that.I could not get used to it.No, I should call him by his first name.What is his first name?""His--er--his initials are S.M."

"His initials? I don't care anything about his initials.I can't call him by his initials.What do they stand for?""Well, you see, his father was a physician, and he--he--well he was an idolater of his profession, and he--well, he was a very eccentric man, and--""What do they stand for! What are you shuffling about?""They-well they stand for Spinal Meningitis.His father being a phy--""I never heard such an infamous name! Nobody can ever call a person that--a person they love.I wouldn't call an enemy by such a name.

It sounds like an epithet." After a moment, she added with a kind of consternation, "Why, it would be my name! Letters would come with it on.""Yes--Mrs.Spinal Meningitis Snodgrass."

"Don't repeat it--don't; I can't bear it.Was the father a lunatic?""No, that is not charged."

"I am glad of that, because that is transmissible.What do you think was the matter with him, then?""Well, I don't really know.The family used to run a good deal to idiots, and so, maybe--""Oh, there isn't any maybe about it.This one was an idiot.""Well, yes--he could have been.He was suspected.""Suspected!" said Sally, with irritation."Would one suspect there was going to be a dark time if he saw the constellations fall out of the sky?

But that is enough about the idiot, I don't take any interest in idiots;tell me about the son."

Very well, then, this one was the eldest, but not the favorite.His brother, Zylobalsamum--""Wait--give me a chance to realize that.It is perfectly stupefying.

Zylo--what did you call it?"

"Zylobalsamum."

"I never heard such a name: It sounds like a disease.Is it a disease?""No, I don't think it's a disease.It's either Scriptural or--""Well, it's not Scriptural."