I was determined to come forward with my written documents,
seeing that Mr. Jarber chose to come forward, in the first instance, with
his. I am now ready to go on with the second part of my story as shortly
and plainly as possible, by word of mouth. The first thing I must clear
up, if you please, is the matter of Mr. Forley's family affairs. I have
heard you speak of them, ma'am, at various times; and I have understood
that Mr. Forley had two children only by his deceased wife, both
daughters. The eldest daughter married, to her father's entire
satisfaction, one Mr. Bayne, a rich man, holding a high government
situation in Canada. She is now living there with her husband, and her
only child, a little girl of eight or nine years old. Right so far, I
think, ma'am?"

"Quite right," I said.

"The second daughter," Trottle went on, "and Mr. Forley's favourite, set
her father's wishes and the opinions of the world at flat defiance, by
running away with a man of low origin--a mate of a merchant-vessel, named
Kirkland. Mr. Forley not only never forgave that marriage, but vowed
that he would visit the scandal of it heavily in the future on husband
and wife. Both escaped his vengeance, whatever he meant it to be. The
husband was drowned on his first voyage after his marriage, and the wife
died in child-bed. Right again, I believe, ma'am?"

"Again quite right."

"Having got the family matter all right, we will now go back, ma'am, to
me and my doings. Last Monday, I asked you for leave of absence for two
days; I employed the time in clearing up the matter of Benjamin's face.
Last Saturday I was out of the way when you wanted me. I played truant,
ma'am, on that occasion, in company with a friend of mine, who is
managing clerk in a lawyer's office; and we both spent the morning at
Doctors' Commons, over the last will and testament of Mr. Forley's
father. Leaving the will-business for a moment, please to follow me
first, if you have no objection, into the ugly subject of Benjamin's
face. About six or seven years ago (thanks to your kindness) I had a
week's holiday with some friends of mine who live in the town of
Pendlebury. One of those friends (the only one now left in the place)
kept a chemist's shop, and in that shop I was made acquainted with one of
the two doctors in the town, named Barsham. This Barsham was a first-
rate surgeon, and might have got to the top of his profession, if he had
not been a first-rat