However, there
it is; carpet comes; you send it out in usual way, and what happens?
Why it blows itself up, kills two boys, lames a man, and then you
discover that you've been entertaining unawares a carpet worth L1000
which you have to pay. Did that ever happen to you at the Treasury?"
MAPLE-BLUNDELL fiercely demanded. JOKIM forced to admit that his
infinite sorrows had never taken that particular turn.
"Very well, then," snapped MAPLE-BLUNDELL, "don't talk to me about
your troubles. As far as I know this is the only carpet in the world
valued at L1000; it is certainly the only one that ever went off by
spontaneous combustion; and I had this particular carpet in charge, at
the very moment when it was ready to combust spontaneously."
"Yes," said JOKIM, softly, as MAPLE-BLUNDELL went off, viciously
stamping on the carpet that covers the Library floor, "we all have
our troubles, and when I think of MAPLE-BLUNDELL and his combustible
carpet I am able the better to bear the woes I have."
[Illustration: ? ? ?] _Business done._--In Committee on Local
Taxation Bill.
_Thursday._--"True, TOBY," OLD MORALITY said, in reply to an
observation, "I am a little tired, and naturally; things haven't been
going so well as they did; but I could get along well enough if it
wasn't for SUMMERS.
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