Babbington looked wretchedly from one to the other, licked his lips and said, ‘I ate your rat, sir. I am very sorry, and I ask your pardon.’

‘Did you so?’ said Stephen mildly. ‘Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Listen, Jack, will you look at my list, now?’

'He only ate it when it was dead,’ said Jack.

‘It would have been a strangely hasty, agitated meal, had he ate it before,’ said Stephen.