So the fluke will be true to his own pet lamb. To
vary the metaphor, you are not fully shorn yet.
"Remember me most kindly to your charming family, give
Wentworth my love, and tell Mlle. Cesarine I owe her a grudge
which I shall never forget. She clearly suspected me. You are
much too rich, dear Charles; I relieve your plethora. I bleed
you financially. Therefore I consider myself--Your sincerest
friend,
"CLAY-BRABAZON-MEDHURST,
"Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons."
Charles was threatened with apoplexy. This blow was severe.
"Whom can I trust," he asked, plaintively, "when the detectives
themselves, whom I employ to guard me, turn out to be swindlers?
Don't you remember that line in the Latin grammar--something about,
'Who shall watch the watchers?' I think it used to run, 'Quis
custodes custodiet ipsos?'"
But I felt this episode had at least disproved my suspicions of
poor Cesarine.
VIII
THE EPISODE OF THE SELDON GOLD-MINE
On our return to London, Charles and Marvillier had a difference
of opinion on the subject of Medhurst.
Charles maintained that Marvillier ought to have known the man
with the cropped hair was Colonel Clay, and ought never to have
recommended him. Marvillier maintained that Charles had _seen_
Colonel Clay half-a-dozen times, at least, to his own never; and
that my respected brother-in-law had therefore nobody on earth
but himself to blame if the rogue imposed upon him.
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