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           IreceivedanextraordinaryletterfromMr.Mutlar,senior.Hewrites:“DearSir—ForalongtimepastIhavehadconsiderabledifficultydecidingtheimportantquestion,‘Whoisthemasterofmyownhouse?Myself,oryoursonLupin?’Believeme,Ihavenoprejudiceonewayortheother;butIhavebeenmostreluctantlycompelledtogivejudgmenttotheeffectthatIamthemasterofit.Underthecircumstances,ithasbecomemydutytoforbidyoursontoentermyhouseagain.Iamsorry,becauseitdeprivesmeofthesocietyofoneofthemostmodest,unassuming,andgentlemanlypersonsIhaveeverhadthehonourofbeingacquaintedwith.”

           Ididnotdesirethelastdaytowindupdisagreeably,soIsaidnothingtoeitherCarrieorLupinabouttheletter.

           Amostterriblefogcameon,andLupinwouldgooutinit,butpromisedtobebacktodrinkouttheOldYear—acustomwehavealwaysobserved.AtaquartertotwelveLupinhadnotreturned,andthefogwasfearful.Astimewasdrawingclose,Igotoutthespirits.CarrieandIdecidingonwhisky,Iopenedafreshbottle;butCarriesaiditsmeltlikebrandy.AsIknewittobewhisky,Isaidtherewasnothingtodiscuss.Carrie,evidentlyvexedthatLupinhadnotcomein,diddiscussitallthesame,andwantedmetohaveasmallwagerwithhertodecidebythesmell.IsaidIcoulddecideitbythetasteinamoment