Claudius sat down at the table, looking rather gloomy.
"I want you to give me an introduction to the English Ambassador in Petersburg.

Lord Fitzdoggin, I believe he is." "Good gracious!" exclaimed the peer; "what for ?" "I am going there," answered Claudius with his habitual calm, "and I want to know somebody in power." "Oh! are _you_ going ?" asked the Duke, suddenly grasping the situation.
He afterwards took some credit to himself for having been so quick to catch Claudius's meaning.
"Yes.

I sail on Wednesday." "Tell me all about it," said the Duke, who recovered his equanimity, and plunged a knife into a fresh cantelope at the same moment.
"Very well.

I saw your friend, Mr.Horace Bellingham, this morning, and he told me all about the Countess's troubles.

In fact, they are in the newspapers by this time, but I had not read about them.