'I suppose you mean that beautiful letter of mine to Lord Alfred Douglas,' I said.
'If you had not been so foolish as to send a copy of it to Mr.
Beerbohm Tree, I should have been glad to have paid you a large sum for it, as I think it is one of the best I ever wrote.' Allen looked at me with sulky, cunning eyes and said: "'A curious construction could be put upon that letter.' "'No doubt, no doubt,' I replied lightly; 'art is not intelligible to the criminal classes.' He looked me in the face defiantly and said: "'A man has offered me L60 for it.' "'You should take the offer,' I said gravely; 'L60 is a great price.

I myself have never received such a large sum for any prose work of that length.

But I am glad to find that there is someone in England who will pay such a large sum for a letter of mine.

I don't know why you come to me,' I added, rising, 'you should sell the letter at once.' "Of course, Frank, as I spoke my body seemed empty with fear.

The letter could be misunderstood, and I have so many envious enemies; but I felt that there was nothing else for it but bluff.