"But I make it a fixed rule to put away my work"-- he waved a hand towards the safe--"whenever anybody, even Doria, wants to come into the room." I glanced around the cheerless place.

There were no traces of work visible.

Save that the quill pens and blotting pad were inky, his library table seemed as immaculate, as unstained by toil, as it did on the occasion of my first visit.
"You needn't have made all that fuss," said I."I only dropped in for a second or two.

I wanted to ask for a drink and to show you a letter from Jaffery." "Oh, Jaffery!" He smiled.

"How's the old barbarian getting on ?" "Tremendously.