"Are you ill, sir?"
"Never better, Perry!" he laughed, clapping me lightly on the
shoulder. "Get you to your guests. And by the by--talking of ghosts
and grimly spectres--egad, Perry, I almost believe they do haunt this
sorry world, sometimes!" So saying, he laughed, turned, and was gone,
leaving me to stare after him in anxious wonderment.
CHAPTER II
INTRODUCING JASPER SHRIG, A BOW STREET RUNNER
"Ham, Peregrine?"
"Thank you, no, Anthony!" said I, shuddering slightly. "But where are
the others? Asleep still?"
"Gone, Perry. At sight of this ham Jerny shied like a wild colt,
Devenham moaned, and together they tottered forth into the bleak
world. Did you say ham, Perry?"
"I--did--not!"
"Beef then--beef looks excellent! Beef?"
"Horrible!" I exclaimed, turning my back on the breakfast table. "Eat
if you can, Tony, but talk you must and shall."
"Of last night, Peregrine?"
"Of Diana. I've scarcely had a word with you since your arrival."
"Which was last night."
"How is she, Anthony? Is she indeed handsomer--lovelier? Did she seem
happy? Did she talk about--did she--happen to mention--"
"She did, Perry, talked of you frequently, very much so! Won't you try
a cup of coffee and a crust--"
"Tell me how--where you first met her."
"It was at the ambassador's ball and mark you, Perry, there were some
uncommonly fine women there, though none of 'em, no, damme, not one to
compare with my Loveliness, of course--"
"You mean Barbara?"
"Of course.
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