"
"That depends on what it is. If you have changed your mind, and want the
pipe back again, I tell you frankly that it won't. In my opinion, a thing
once given is given for good."
"Quite so; I don't want it back again. You may make your mind easy on that
point. I merely wanted to tell you _why_ I gave it you."
"You have told me that already."
"Only partly, my dear Pugh--only partly. You don't suppose I should have
given you such a pipe as that merely because it happened to be drugged?
Scarcely! I gave it you because I discovered from indisputable evidence,
and to my cost, that it was haunted."
"Haunted?"
"Yes, haunted. Good day."
He was gone again. I ran out of the room, and shouted after him down the
stairs. He was already at the bottom of the flight.
"Tress! Come back! What do you mean by talking such nonsense?"
"Of course it's only nonsense. We know that that sort of thing always is
nonsense. But if you should have reason to suppose that there is something
in it besides nonsense, you may think it worth your while to make
inquiries of me. But I won't have that pipe back again in my possession on
any terms--mind that!"
The bang of the front door told me that he had gone out into the street. I
let him go. I laughed to myself as I reentered the room. Haunted! That was
not a bad idea of his.
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