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The gentleman whom the dog had very unaccountably followed was a
certain Mr。 William Blagg； who kept a little shop near Endell Street； and
called himself a bird…fancier； though I should scarcely have credited him
with the necessary imagination。 He was an evil…browed ruffian in a fur cap；
with a broad broken nose and little shifty red eyes； and after I had told him
what I wanted he took me through a horrible little den； stacked with piles
of wooden； wire； and wicker prisons； each quivering with restless；
twittering life； and then out into a back yard； in which were two or three
rotten old kennels and tubs。 〃That there's him；〃 he said； jerking his thumb
to the farthest tub； 〃follered me all the way 'ome from Kinsington Gardens；
/he/ did。 Kim out； will yer？〃
And out of the tub there crawled slowly； with a snuffling whimper and
a rattling of its chain； the identical dog I had slain a few evenings before！
At least； so I thought for a moment； and felt as if I had seen a spectre；
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the resemblance was so exactin size； in every detail； even to the little
clumps of hair about the hind parts； even to the lop of half an ear； this dog
might have been the /doppelganger/ of the deceased Bingo。 I suppose；
after all； one black poodle is very like any other black poodle of the same
size； but the likeness startled me。
I think it was then that the idea occurred to me that here was a
miraculous chance of securing the sweetest girl in the whole world； and at
the same time atoning for my wrong by bringing back gladness with me to
Shuturgarden。 It only needed a little boldness； one last deception； and I
could embrace truthfulness once more。
Almost unconsciously； when my guide turned round and asked； 〃Is
that there dawg yourn？〃 I said hurriedly； 〃Yes； yes； that's the dog I want；
thatthat's Bingo！〃
〃He don't seem to be a…puttin' of 'isself out about seein' you again；〃
observed Mr。 Blagg； as the poodle studied me with calm interest。
〃Oh； he's not exactly /my/ dog； you see；〃 I said； 〃he belongs to a friend
of mine！〃
He gave me a quick； furtive glance。 〃Then maybe you're mistook
about him；〃 he said； 〃and I can't run no risks。 I was a…goin' down in the
country this 'ere werry evenin' to see a party as lives at Wistaria Willa； he's
been a…hadwertisin' about a black poodle； /he/ has！〃
〃But look here；〃 I said； 〃that's /me/。〃
He gave me a curious leer。 〃No offence； you know； guv'nor；〃 he said；
〃but I should wish for some evidence as to that afore I part with a
vallyable dawg like this 'ere！〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃here's one of my cards； will that do for you？〃
He took it and spelled it out with a pretence of great caution； but I saw
well enough that the old schoundrel suspected that if I had lost a dog at all
it was not this particular dog。 〃Ah；〃 he said； as he put it in his pocket； 〃if I
part with him to you I must be cleared of all risks。 I can't afford to get into
trouble about no mistakes。 Unless you likes to leave him for a day or two
you must pay accordin'； you see。〃
I wanted to get the hateful business over as soon as possible。 I did not
care what I paidLilian was worth all the expense！ I said I had no doubt
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myself as to the real ownership of the animal； but I would give him any
sum in reason； and would remove the dog at once。
And so we settled it。 I paid him an extortionate sum； and came away
with a duplicate poodle； a canine counterfeit； which I hoped to pass off at
Shuturgarden as the long…lost Bingo。
I know it was wrong；it even came unpleasantly near dog…stealing；
but I was a desperate man。 I saw Lilian gradually slipping away from me； I
knew that nothing short of this could ever recall her； I was sorely tempted；
I had gone far on the same road already； it was the old story of being hung
for a sheep。 And so I fell。
Surely some who read this will be generous enough to consider the
peculiar state of the case； and mingle a little pity with their contempt。
I was dining in town that evening； and took my purchase home by a
late train； his demeanour was grave and intensely respectable； he was not
the animal to commit himself by any flagrant indiscretion； he was gentle
and tractable too； and in all respects an agreeable contrast in character to
the original。 Still； it may have been the after…dinner workings of
conscience； but I could not help fancying that I saw a certain look in the
creature's eyes； as if he were aware that he was required to connive at a
fraud； and rather resented it。
If he would only be good enough to back me up！ Fortunately； however；
he was such a perfect facsimile of the outward Bingo that the risk of
detection was really inconsiderable。
When I got him home I put Bingo's silver collar round his neck；
congratulating myself on my forethought in preserving it； and took him in
to see my mother。 She accepted him as what he seemed without the
slightest misgiving； but this； though it encouraged me to go on； was not
decisivethe spurious poodle would have to encounter the scrutiny of
those who knew every tuft on the genuine animal's body！
Nothing would have induced me to undergo such an ordeal as that of
personally restoring him to the Curries。 We gave him supper； and tied him
up on the lawn； where he howled dolefully all night and buried bones。
The next morning I wrote a note to Mrs。 Currie； expressing my
pleasure at being able to restore the lost one； and another to Lilian；
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containing only the words； 〃Will you believe /now/ that I am sincere？〃
Then I tied both round the poodle's neck； and dropped him over the wall
into the colonel's garden just before I started to catch my train to town。
I had an anxious walk home from the station that evening； I went
round by the longer way； trembling the whole time lest I should meet any
of the Currie household； to which I felt myself entirely unequal just then。 I
could not rest until I knew whether my fraud had succeeded； or if the
poodle to which I had intrusted my fate had basely betrayed me； but