After he had lain for some minutes senseless, like a log, on the couch
where we had placed him, Hilda stooped over him quietly and lifted up
the ends of the grizzled moustache. Then she pointed one accusing
finger at his lips. "I told you so," she murmured, with a note of
demonstration.

"There is certainly something rather stern, or even ruthless, about
the set of the face and the firm ending of the lips," I admitted,
reluctantly.

"That is why God gave men moustaches," she mused, in a low voice; "to
hide the cruel corners of their mouths."

"Not ALWAYS cruel," I cried.

"Sometimes cruel, sometimes cunning, sometimes sensuous; but nine times
out of ten best masked by moustaches."

"You have a bad opinion of our sex!" I exclaimed.

"Providence knew best," she answered. "IT gave you moustaches. That was
in order that we women might be spared from always seeing you as you
are. Besides, I said 'Nine times out of ten.' There are exceptions--SUCH
exceptions!"

On second thought, I did not feel sure that I could quarrel with her
estimate.

The experiment was that time once more successful. Sebastian woke up