Mrs. Snagsby Sees It All

           ThereisdisquietudeinCook’sCourt,CursitorStreet.Blacksuspicionhidesinthatpeacefulregion.ThemassofCook’sCourtiersareintheirusualstateofmind,nobetterandnoworse;butMr.Snagsbyischanged,andhislittlewomanknowsit.ForTom-all-Alone’sandLincoln’sInnFieldspersistinharnessingthemselves,apairofungovernablecoursers,tothechariotofMr.Snagsby’simagination;andMr.Bucketdrives;andthepassengersareJoandMr.Tulkinghorn;andthecompleteequipagewhirlsthoughthelaw-stationerybusinessatwildspeedallroundtheclock.Eveninthelittlefrontkitchenwherethefamilymealsaretaken,itrattlesawayatasmokingpacefromthedinner-table,whenMr.Snagsbypausesincarvingthefirstsliceofthelegofmuttonbakedwithpotatoesandstaresatthekitchenwall.Mr.Snagsbycannotmakeoutwhatitisthathehashadtodowith.Somethingiswrongsomewhere,butwhatsomething,whatmaycomeofit,towhom,when,andfromwhichunthoughtofandunheardofquarteristhepuzzleofhislife.Hisremoteimpressionsoftherobesandcoronets,thestarsandgarters,thatsparklethroughthesurface-dustofMr.Tulkinghorn’schambers;hisvenerationforthemysteriespresidedoverbythatbestandclosestofhiscustomers,whomalltheInnsofCourt,allChanceryLane,andallthelegalneighbourhoodagreetoholdinawe;hisremembranceofDetectiveMr.Bucketwithhisforefingerandhisconfidentialmanner,impossibletobeevadedordeclined,persuadehimthatheisapartytosomedangeroussecretwithoutknowingwhatitis.