who can do almost
anything. Somehow, I don't know why, but I felt the moment I spoke to
him that he was a man with tremendous reserve power."

"Do you know who he reminds me of?"

"Yes."

"Yes, that's it. Of course he's utterly unlike what Leicester was, and
yet he makes one think of him. You remember what a fine golfer he was
and how deadly he was on the greens. If Leicester had lived, and had
come here, they would have found a lot in common with each other."

"If Leicester had lived, my dear fellow, I don't suppose we should ever
have come here."

"No, perhaps not. Still, this man reminds me of him. There is always the
feeling that he's keeping something back. Somehow, I don't know why, but
the fellow got on my nerves this morning. I was always seeing a double
meaning in everything he said. Why, do you know at one time I positively
feared him. I seemed to be playing for some fearful stake. I was
reminded of that picture where a man plays chess with the devil for his
soul. Then every now and then I fancied it was Leicester who was
speaking. Yes, I know it was not Leicester's voice, neither is he like
what Leicester was. His eyes are different, and of course his face is
different. Leicester's face was pale as death; it was thin, too, and
suggested the Greeks; this man, with his great black beard and dark
skin, is different from what Leicester was; and yet sometimes he was
like Leicester. Don't you remember that Oxford insolence of Leicester's
which used to madden some people, and how while saying the most
innocent-sounding things he was just laughing at them all the time?
That's what I felt about this fellow. He speaks English with a foreign
accent, and yet I felt sometimes as though he knew England well."

"Probably he does."

"He says he's only been in the country three months."

"You saw him go away with----"

"Yes, I saw him. That young fellow who was with her introduced him. By
the way, do you think she was near enough to know who we were?"

"I should think not. They moved away directly the stranger came up."

"We shall see her at the concert to-morrow night, I suppose. My word,
Purvis, I feel nervous."

"Give it up, Sprague--give it up, man. You asked her years ago, and she
refused you. What has happened since is not likely to endear you to
her."

"Rather I think it is. Do you know I have a feeling that she is thankful
to me now?"

"By the way, I should like you to challenge this Signor Ricordo t