'I am aware that you are an adept with words. But this is a casein which words only will not serve.'

'Then what will serve?'

'I am myself beginning to wonder.'

'And I.'

'As you so courteously suggest, I believe I am wiser than Lindon.I do not care for your politics, or for what you call yourpolitics, one fig. I do not care if you are as other men are, as Iam,--not unspotted from the world! But I do care if you areleprous. And I believe you are.'

'Atherton!'

'Ever since I occasionally have known you I occasionally have been conscious of there beingsomething about you which I found it difficult to diagnose;--in anunwholesome sense, something out of the common, non-natural; anatmosphere of your own. Events, so far as you are concerned, have,during the last few days moved quickly. They have thrown anuncomfortably lurid light on that peculiarity of yours which Ihave noticed. Unless you can explain them to my satisfaction, youwill withdraw your pretensions to Miss Lindon's hand, or I shallplace certain facts before that lady, and, if necessary, publishthem to the world.'

He grew visibly paler but he smiled--facially.

'You have your own way of conducting a conversation, Mr Atherton.--What are the events to whose rapid transit you are alluding?'

'Who was the individual, practically stark naked, whom came out ofyour house, in such singular fashion, at dead of evening?'

'Is that one of the facts with which you propose to tickle thepublic ear?'

'Is that the only explanation which you have to offer?'

'Proceed, for the present, with your indictment.'

'I am not so unobservant as you appear to imagine. There werefeatures about the episode which struck me forcibly at the time,and which have struck me more forcibly since. To suggest, as youdid yesterday morning, that it was an ordinary case of burglary,or that the man was a lunatic, is an absurdity.

'Pardon me,--I did nothing of the kind.'

'Then what do you suggest?'