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make himself agreeable to his client in the capacity of volunteer
courier。 He seized on the whole administrative business of the
journey to London； as he had seized on the whole administrative
business of the picnic at the Broads。 On reaching the terminus；
Allan was ready to go to any hotel that might be recommended。 His
invaluable solicitor straight…way drove him to a hotel at which
the Pedgift family had been accustomed to put up for three
generations。
〃You don't object to vegetables； sir？〃 said the cheerful Pedgift；
as the cab stopped at a hotel in Covent Garden Market。 〃Very
good； you may leave the rest to my grandfather； my father； and
me。 I don't know which of the three is most beloved and respected
in this house。 How d'ye do； William？ （Our head…waiter； Mr。
Armadale。） Is your wife's rheumatism better； and does the little
boy get on nicely at school？ Your master's out； is he？ Never
mind； you'll do。 This； William； is Mr。 Armadale of Thorpe
Ambrose。 I have prevailed on Mr。 Armadale to try our house。 Have
you got the bedroom I wrote for？ Very good。 Let Mr。 Armadale have
it instead of me （my grandfather's favorite bedroom； sir； No。 57；
on the second floor）； pray take it； I can sleep anywhere。 Will
you have the mattress on the top of the feather…bed？ You hear；
William？ Tell Matilda； the mattress on the top of the
feather…bed。 How is Matilda？ Has she got the toothache； as usual？
The head…chambermaid； Mr。 Armadale； and a most extraordinary
woman； she will _not_ part with a hollow tooth in her lower jaw。
My grandfather says； 'Have it out；' my father says； 'Have it
out；' I say； 'Have it out；' and Matilda turns a deaf ear to all
three of us。 Yes； William； yes； if Mr。 Armadale approves； this
sitting…room will do。 About dinner； sir？ Shall we say； in that
case； half…past seven？ William； half…past seven。 Not the least
need to order anything； Mr。 Armadale。 The head…waiter has only to
give my compliments to the cook； and the best dinner in London
will be sent up； punctual to the minute； as a necessary
consequence。 Say； Mr。 Pedgift Junior； if you please； William；
otherwise； sir； we might get my grandfather's dinner or my
father's dinner； and they _might_ turn out a little too heavy and
old…fashioned in their way of feeding for you and me。 As to the
wine； William。 At dinner； _my_ Champagne； and the sherry that my
father thinks nasty。 After dinner； the claret with the blue
sealthe wine my innocent grandfather said wasn't worth sixpence
a bottle。 Ha！ ha！ poor old boy！ You will send up the evening
papers and the play…bills； just as usual； andthat will do？ I
think； William； for the present。 An invaluable servant； Mr。
Armadale； they're all invaluable servants in this house。 We may
not be fashionable here； sir； but by the Lord Harry we are snug！
A cab？ you would like a cab？ Don't stir！ I've rung the bell
twicethat means； Cab wanted in a hurry。 Might I ask； Mr。
Armadale； which way your business takes you？ Toward Bayswater？
Would you mind dropping me in the park？ It's a habit of mine when
I'm in London to air myself among the aristocracy。 Yours truly；
sir； has an eye for a fine woman and a fine horse； and when he's
in Hyde Park he's quite in his native element。〃 Thus the
all…accomplished Pedgift ran on； and by these little arts did he
recommend himself to the good opinion of his client。
When the dinner hour united the traveling companions again in
their sitting…room at the hotel； a far less acute observer than
young Pedgift must have noticed the marked change that appeared
in Allan's manner。 He looked vexed and puzzled； and sat drumming
with his fingers on the dining…table without uttering a word。
〃I'm afraid something has happened to annoy you； sir； since we
parted company in the Park？〃 said Pedgift Junior。 〃Excuse the
question； I only ask it in case I can be of any use。〃
〃Something that I never expected has happened；〃 returned Allan；
〃I don't know what to make of it。 I should like to have your
opinion；〃 he added； after a little hesitation； 〃that is to say；
if you will excuse my not entering into any particulars？〃
〃Certainly！〃 assented young Pedgift。 〃Sketch it in outline； sir。
The merest hint will do； I wasn't born yesterday。〃 （〃Oh； these
women！〃 thought the youthful philosopher； in parenthesis。）
〃Well；〃 began Allan； 〃you know what I said when we got to this
hotel； I said I had a place to go to in Bayswater〃 （Pedgift
mentally checked off the first point： Case in the suburbs；
Bayswater）； 〃and a personthat is to saynoas I said before；
a person to inquire after。〃 （Pedgift checked off the next point：
Person in the case。 She…person； or he…person ？ She…person；
unquestionably！） 〃Well； I went to the house； and when I asked for
herI mean the personshethat is to say； the personoh；
confound it！〃 cried Allan； 〃I shall drive myself mad； and you；
too； if I try to tell my story in this roundabout way。 Here it is
in two words。 I went to No。 18 Kingsdown Crescent； to see a lady
named Mandeville； and； when I asked for her； the servant said
Mrs。 Mandeville had gone away； without telling anybody where； and
without even leaving an address at which letters could be sent to
her。 There！ it's out at last。 And what do you think of it now？〃
〃Tell me first； sir；〃 said the wary Pedgift； 〃what inquiries you
made when you found this lady had vanished？〃
〃Inquiries！〃 repeated Allan。 〃I was utterly staggered； I didn't
say anything。 What inquiries ought I to have made？〃
Pedgift Junior cleared his throat； and crossed his legs in a
strictly professional manner。
〃I have no wish； Mr。 Armadale；〃 he began； 〃to inquire into your
business with Mrs。 Mandeville〃
〃No；〃 interposed Allan； bluntly； 〃I hope you won't inquire into
that。 My business with Mrs。 Mandeville must remain a secret。〃
〃But；〃 pursued Pedgift； laying down the law with the forefinger
of one hand on the outstretched palm of the other； 〃I may；
perhaps； be allowed to ask generally whether your business with
Mrs。 Mandeville is of a nature to interest you in tracing her
from Kingsdown Crescent to her present residence？〃
〃Certainly！〃 said Allan。 〃I have a very particular reason for
wishing to see her。〃
〃In that case； sir；〃 returned Pedgift Junior； 〃there were two
obvious questions which you ought to have asked； to begin
withnamely； on what date Mrs。 Mandeville left； and how she
left。 Having discovered this； you should have ascertained next
under what domestic circumstances she went awaywhether there
was a misunderstanding with anybody； say a difficulty about money
matters。 Also； whether she went away alone； or with somebody
else。 Also； whether the house was her own； or whether she only
lodged in it。 Also； in the latter event〃
〃Stop！ stop！ you're making my head swim；〃 cried Allan。 〃I don't
understand all these ins and outs。 I'm not used to this sort of
thing。〃
〃I've been used to it myself from my childhood upward； sir；〃
remarked Pedgift。 〃And if I can be of any assistance； say the
word。〃
〃You're very kind；〃 returned Allan。 〃If you could only help me to
find Mrs。 Mandeville； and if you wouldn't mind leaving the thing
afterward entirely in my hands？〃
〃I'll leave it in your hands； sir；