Yet, unless I err greatly, before many hours have passed you will agree with me that nothing more directly fortunate in your behalf could have occurred than Schmidt's interference as Lord Valletort's legal adviser.

I know Schmidt, and Schmidt knows me.

In this affair you would be a baby in his hands, just as he would resemble a bladder of lard in yours.

My difficulty is that I really cannot give reasons, but you will appreciate the position when I say that, for the moment, the murder of Mr.Hunter has become an affair of state, and all information regarding recent developments will be withheld from the press.

Do you follow ?" "Yes." "I take it, too, that if Lady Hermione were restored to you, and it was left to the pair of you to determine whether or not the marriage entered into under such extraordinary conditions should become a real union, you would be satisfied ?" "I don't see how----" "You can at least take my word for it, Mr.Curtis, that the chance of such an outcome will be greatly forwarded if you go straight to bed, whereas any design you may have formed as to assaulting and battering Otto Schmidt would, if put into execution, probably defeat the more important object, or, at any rate, cripple its prospects of success." "Do you really mean that ?" "I am almost sure of it.