I happened to hear of my friend's address, called upon
him, and there met his lordship. Now wasn't it a strange thing,
Gammon? Just when you and I were so interested in a certain puzzle,
a delightful bit of genealogy. Lord Polperro and I quite took to
each other. He seemed to like my chat, and, in fact, we have been
seeing a good deal of each other for a week or two."
"You kept this to yourself, Gammon."
"For a sufficient reason--anything but a selfish one. You, I may
remark, also made a discovery and kept it to yourself."
"It was my own business."
"Certainly. Don't dream that I find fault with you, my dear fellow.
It was the most natural thing in the world. Now let me explain. I
grieve to tell you that Lord Polperro is in very poor health. To be
explicit, he is suffering from a complication of serious disorders,
among them disease of the heart." He paused to let his announcement
have its full effect. "You will understand why I am here to
represent him. Lord Polperro dare not, simply dare not, expose
himself to an agitating interview; it might--it probably would--cost
him his life.
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