He is very fond of
change and experiment. But all the points you so ingeniously make
against him are mere coincidence or special pleading. It's true he
didn't want to talk about his house business in front of us. No
man would. It's true that he carries a sword-stick. Any man might.
It's true he drew it in the shock of a street fight. Any man
would. But there's nothing really dubious in all this. There's
nothing to confirm--"
As he spoke a knock came at the door.
"If you please, sir," said the landlady, with an alarmed air,
"there's a policeman wants to see you."
"Show him in," said Basil, amid the blank silence.
The heavy, handsome constable who appeared at the door spoke
almost as soon as he appeared there.
"I think one of you gentlemen," he said, curtly but respectfully,
"was present at the affair in Copper Street last night, and drew
my attention very strongly to a particular man."
Rupert half rose from his chair, with eyes like diamonds, but the
constable went on calmly, referring to a paper.
"A young man with grey hair. Had light grey clothes, very good, but
torn in the struggle. Gave his name as Drummond Keith."
"This is amusing," said Basil, laughing. "I was in the very act of
clearing that poor officer's character of rather fanciful
aspersions.
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