rch for the
sensational truth, except that I preferred to keep the mystery wholly
to myself.

Those days after the death recur to me now as a sort of breathless
nightmare, in which, aided by the admirable Alexis, I was forever
despatching messages and uttering polite phrases to people I had never
seen before.

I had two surprises, one greater and one less. In the first place, the
Anglo-Belgian lawyer whom I had summoned informed me, after Alresca's
papers had been examined and certain effects sealed in the presence of
an official, that my friend had made a will, bearing a date
immediately before our arrival in Bruges, leaving the whole of his
property to me, and appointing me sole executor. I have never
understood why Alresca did this, and I have always thought that it was
a mere kind caprice on his part.

The second surprise was a visit from the Burgomaster of the city. He
came clothed in his official robes. It was a call of the most rigid
ceremony. Having condoled with me and also complimented me upon my
succession to the dead man's estate, he intimated that the city
desired a public funeral. For a moment I was averse to this, but as I
could advance no argument against it I concurred in the proposal.

There was a lying-in-state of the body at the cathedral, and the whole
city seemed to go in mourning. On the second day a priest called at
the house on the Quai des Augustins, and said that he had been sent by
the Bishop to ask if I cared to witness the lying-in-state from some
private vantage-ground. I went to the cathedral, and the Bishop
himself escorted me to the organ-loft, whence I could see the silent
crowds move slowly in pairs past Alresca's bier, which lay in the
chancel. It was an impressive sight, and one which I shall not forget.

On the afternoon of the day preceding the funeral the same priest came
to me again, and I received him in the drawing-room, where I was
writing a letter to Totnes. He was an old man, a very old man, with a
quavering voice, but he would not sit down.

"It has occurred to the Lord Bishop," he piped, "that monsieur has not
been offered the privilege of watching by the bier."

The idea startled me, and I was at a loss what to say.

"The Lord Bishop presents his profound regrets, and will monsieur care
to watch?"

I saw at once that a refusal would have horrified the ecclesiastic.

"I shall regard it as an honor," I said. "When?"

"From midnight to two o'clock," answered t