Clue was quietly interested when she implied her key companion was a little rat, and he peered at Barnabas with a softness in his eyes.

But then, it transpired, she had human friends, and all of a sudden she was less relatable. That didn't make her any less likeable, of course; it just meant she was gliding around on a different plane to the likes of Clue Leverett.

"I haven't given my spider a name", he mused hazily as he watched the insect thoughtfully, thinking that Barnabas was indeed a fine name for a rat. "But then" he added, "they don't live very long."