A little stiff, perhaps, but then I am only an acquaintance--almost a stranger." "But," Jervis persisted, "what is she like, in appearance I mean.

Short?
fat?
sandy?
Give us intelligible details." I made a rapid mental inventory, assisted by my recent cogitations.
"She is about five feet seven, slim but rather plump, very erect in carriage and graceful in movements; black hair, loosely parted in the middle and falling very prettily away from the forehead; pale, clear complexion, dark grey eyes, straight eyebrows, straight, well-shaped nose, short mouth, rather full; round chin--what the deuce are you grinning at, Jervis ?" For my friend had suddenly unmasked his batteries and now threatened, like the Cheshire Cat, to dissolve into a mere abstraction of amusement.
"If there is a copy of that will, Thorndyke," he said, "we shall get it.
I think you agree with me, reverend senior ?" "I have already said," was the reply, "that I put my trust in Berkeley.
And now let us dismiss professional topics.

This is our hostelry." He pushed open an unpretentious glazed door and we followed him into the restaurant, whereof the atmosphere was pervaded by an appetising meatiness mingled with less agreeable suggestions of the destructive distillation of fat.
It was some two hours later when I wished my friends adieu under the golden-leaved plane trees of King's Bench Walk.
"I won't ask you to come in now," said Thorndyke, "as we have some consultations this afternoon.

But come in and see us soon; don't wait for that copy of the will." "No," said Jervis.

"Drop in in the evening when your work is done; unless, of course, there is more attractive society elsewhere--Oh, you needn't turn that colour, my dear child; we have all been young once; there is even a tradition that Thorndyke was young some time back in the pre-dynastic period." "Don't take any notice of him, Berkeley," said Thorndyke.