Israel Zangwill,
The Big Bow Mystery — CHAPTER VIII
(1895)
“ Thus the lightning passed harmlessly over his head and flew toward Cantercot."What do I mean?" Mrs. Crowl echoed, as if there had been no interval. "I mean that it would be a good thing if you had been murdered.""What unbeautiful ideas you have, to be sure!" murmured Denzil."Yes; but they'd be useful," said Mrs. Crowl, who had not lived with Peter all these years for nothing. "And if you haven't been murdered what have you been doing?""My dear, my dear," put in Crowl, deprecatingly, looking up from his quadrupedal position like a sad dog, "you are not Cantercot's keeper." ”
