e no doubt
you would have been.

"I mentioned this to the foreign valet, and he said he thought he knew
a gentleman who would help me, and perhaps I had better go and see him
first. By his direction, sir, I went to see a gentleman at the Langham
Hotel in London, a Mr. Saumarez."

"Saumarez?" I exclaimed. "What was he like?"

"He was a dark gentleman, sir, and he had got something the matter with
one of his eyes."

"Thank you," I said, "go on. I think I know who the gentleman was."

"He asked me to confide in him, sir, and I told him everything, and the
difficulty I feared I should have in finding another situation.

"After some conversation he said he thought I certainly ought to try
for your situation, and that if I succeeded to come and let him know,
and he would see about the character without troubling the Dook.

"As you know, sir, you were good enough to entertain my application,
and I then went straight away to Mr. Saumarez to ask him what I was to
do.

"He said that on certain conditions a friend of his would give me a
character."

"That was Captain FitzJames, I suppose?" I interrupted.

"Exactly, sir," Brooks replied, "the gentleman who you supposed I had
been living with."

"This is pretty bad, Brooks," I said gravely, looking away at the grey
horizon. In my heart I was thoroughly sorry for the man. And he was
such a good valet, too! No wonder, for he had lived with one of the
richest dukes in England.

"Yes, it is pretty bad, sir," he continued, "but not as bad as what's
to come. I asked Mr. Saumarez what conditions he required of me, and
he told me. First, I was to keep him informed daily of every movement
of yours; secondly, I was to be ready to act under his orders in
certain 'simple matters.' He explained that these simple matters would
consist in 'little acts which would harm no one.'

"At first I was inclined to walk out of the room and leave him, and I
think he saw my intention, for he held up his hand and went on further.

"He told me plainly that I was entirely in his power, and that he could
prevent me getting a situation at all if he chose. I had told him I
had a wife and two children depending on me--although I deceived you,
sir, in that matter under his advice. He asked me now whether I wished
them to starve. He pointed out that if I accepted his terms he would
double my wages, so that I could leave my little family in comfort. I
couldn't bear to think they would be