He looked whimsically
alarmed. "No, no. It's bad enough to lose my money but I don't want to
waste any more of my time over your friend. We must be done with this to-
day. Just go and have a look at that _garniture de cheminee_ yonder.
There's another, something like it, in the castle of Laeken, but mine's
much superior in design."
I moved accordingly to the other side of that big room. The _garniture_
was very fine. But while pretending to examine it I watched my man going
forward to meet a tall visitor, who said, "I thought you would be
disengaged so early. It's only a word or two"--and after a whispered
confabulation of no more than a minute, reconduct him to the door and
shake hands ceremoniously. "Not at all, not at all. Very pleased to be
of use. You can depend absolutely on my information"--"Oh thank you,
thank you. I just looked in." "Certainly, quite right. Any time . . .
Good morning."
I had a good look at the visitor while they were exchanging these
civilities. He was clad in black. I remember perfectly that he wore a
flat, broad, black satin tie in which was stuck a large cameo pin; and a
small turn down collar.
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