"No doubt, sir," he said.
"But as far as you are concerned," Mr. Hazlewood continued briskly, "you can throw no light upon it?"
"Not a glimmer, sir."
Mr. Hazlewood was disappointed and with him disappointment was petulance.
"That is unlike you, Hubbard," he said, "for sometimes after I have been deliberating for days over some curious and perplexing conundrum, you have solved it the moment it has been put to you."
Hubbard drooped still lower. He began the droop as a bow of acknowledgment but forgot to raise his head again.
"It is very good of you, sir," he said. He seemed oppressed by the goodness of Mr. Hazlewood.
"Yet you are not clever, Hubbard! Not at all clever."
"No, sir. I know my place," returned the butler, and Mr. Hazlewood continued with a little envy.
"You must have some wonderful gift of insight which guides you straight to the inner meaning of things."