His father, sir, was murdered in that house.' 'So I have heard,' returned the guest, taking a gold toothpick from his pocket with the same sweet smile.

'A very disagreeable circumstance for the family.' 'Very,' said John with a puzzled look, as if it occurred to him, dimly and afar off, that this might by possibility be a cool way of treating the subject.
'All the circumstances after a murder,' said the guest soliloquising, 'must be dreadfully unpleasant--so much bustle and disturbance--no repose--a constant dwelling upon one subject--and the running in and out, and up and down stairs, intolerable.

I wouldn't have such a thing happen to anybody I was nearly interested in, on any account.

'Twould be enough to wear one's life out .-- You were going to say, friend--' he added, turning to John again.
'Only that Mrs Rudge lives on a little pension from the family, and that Barnaby's as free of the house as any cat or dog about it,' answered John.

'Shall he do your errand, sir ?' 'Oh yes,' replied the guest.