"That does not," the wizard pointed out, "answer my question."

In light of what he had learned of late, Aldous had been forced to conclude there was very little Melody wouldn't do, regardless of what his brother seemed to think on the matter. And besides, trapping a man with a fake pregnancy was certainly a well-known trick—right up there with tricking a man into marriage to hide a pregnancy borne out of wedlock. If the news had been enough to return Reuben to his wife's bed (and Aldous had little doubt that Reuben was easily led by his middle leg), then what was not a true pregnancy before might easily have become one since.