"Felix knows Paris as well as he knows London," she remarked. "He is an
idle man, and it is quite likely that he will relieve us of all trouble
by taking the matter into his own hands. In any case, he is sure to know
who are the right people to address in our present necessity. What do
you say?"

Mr. Troy, in reply, expressed his doubts as to the wisdom of employing
foreigners in a delicate investigation which required an accurate
knowledge of English customs and English character. Waiving this
objection, he approved of the idea of consulting her Ladyship's nephew.
"Mr. Sweetsir is a man of the world," he said. "In putting the case
before him, we are sure to have it presented to us from a new point
of view." Acting on this favorable expression of opinion, Lady Lydiard
wrote to her nephew. On the day after the visit to Miss Pink, the
proposed council of three was held at Lady Lydiard's house.

Felix, never punctual at keeping an appointment, was even later than
usual on this occasion. He made his apologies with his hand pressed upon
his forehead, and his voice expressive of the languor and discouragement
of a suffering man.

"The beastly English climate is telling on my nerves," said Mr.
Sweetsir--"the horrid weight of the atmosphere, after the exhilarating
air of Paris; the intolerable dirt and dullness of London, you know. I
was in bed, my dear aunt, when I received your letter. You may imagine
the completely demoralised?? state I was in, when I tell you of the
effect which the news of the robbery produced on me. I fell back on my
pillow, as if I had been shot. Your Ladyship should really be a
little more careful in communicating these disagreeable surprises to a
sensitively-organised man. Never mind--my valet is a perfect treasure;
he brought me some drops of ether on a lump of sugar. I said, 'Alfred'
(his name is Alfred), 'put me into my clothes!' Alfred put me in. I
assure you it reminded me of my young days, when I was put into my first
pair of trousers. Has Alfred forgotten anything? Have I got my braces
on? Have I come out in my shirt-sleeves? Well, dear aunt;--well, Mr.
Troy!--what can I say? What can I do?"

Lady Lydiard, entirely without sympathy for nervous suffering, nodded to
the lawyer. "You tell him," she said.

"I believe I speak for her Ladyship," Mr. Troy began, "when I say that
we should like to hear, in the first place, how the whole case strikes
you, Mr. Sweetsir?"

"Tell it me all over aga