that it amounted to a species of
good nature; which, unlike the milk of genuine kindness, was never in
danger of turning sour. Then, once, during a pause in business, while
we were waiting for the production of a document for which he had sent
(perhaps to the cellar?) I happened to remark, glancing round the room,
that I had never seen so many fine things assembled together out of a
collection. Whether this was unconscious diplomacy on my part, or not,
I shouldn't like to say--but the remark was true enough, and it pleased
him extremely. "It _is_ a collection," he said emphatically. "Only I
live right in it, which most collectors don't. But I see that you know
what you are looking at. Not many people who come here on business do.
Stable fittings are more in their way."

I don't know whether my appreciation helped to advance my friend's
business but at any rate it helped our intercourse. He treated me with
a shade of familiarity as one of the initiated.

The last time I called on him to conclude the transaction we were
interrupted by a person, something like a cross between a bookmaker and
a private secretary, who, entering through a door which was not the
anteroom door, walked up and stooped to whisper into his ear.

"Eh? What? Who, did you say?"

The nondescript person stooped and whispered again, adding a little
louder: "Says he won't detain you a moment."

My little man glanced at me, said "Ah! Well," irresolutely. I got up
from my chair and offered to come again later. 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