Chapter IX

           ’Now,mygoodcreature,whateveryouhavetosaytome,outwithitatonce!Idon’twanttohurryyouneedlessly;butthesearebusinesshours,andIhaveotherpeople’saffairstoattendtobesidesyours.’

           AddressingFerrari’swife,withhisusualbluntgood-humour,intheseterms,Mr.Troyregisteredthelapseoftimebyaglanceatthewatchonhisdesk,andthenwaitedtohearwhathisclienthadtosaytohim.

           ’It’ssomethingmore,sir,abouttheletterwiththethousand-poundnote,’Mrs.Ferraribegan.’Ihavefoundoutwhosentittome.’

           Mr.Troystarted.’Thisisnewsindeed!’hesaid.’Whosentyoutheletter?’

           ’LordMontbarrysentit,sir.’

           ItwasnoteasytotakeMr.Troybysurprise.ButMrs.Ferrarithrewhimcompletelyoffhisbalance.Forawhilehecouldonlylookatherinsilentsurprise.’Nonsense!’hesaid,assoonashehadrecoveredhimself.’Thereissomemistake—itcan’tbe!’

           ’Thereisnomistake,’Mrs.Ferrarirejoined,inhermostpositivemanner.’Twogentlemenfromtheinsuranceofficescalledonmethismorning,toseetheletter.Theywerecompletelypuzzled—especiallywhentheyheardofthebank-noteinside.Buttheyknowwhosenttheletter.Hislordship’sdoctorinVeniceposteditathislordship’srequest.Gotothegentlemenyourself,sir,ifyoudon’tbelieveme.TheywerepoliteenoughtoaskifIcouldaccountforLordMontbarry’swritingtomeandsendingmethemoney.Igavethemmyopiniondirectly—Isaiditwaslikehislordship’skindness.’

           ’Likehislordship’skindness?’Mr.