"No; I came off my own bat," he answered.
"You have done me a great service."
"My dear fellow!" beamed he with the broadest of smiles. "Now Hammerfeldt's gone, I thought a friendly word or two would not come amiss."
Hammerfeldt was dead; now came William Adolphus. Il n'y a pas d'homme nécessaire.
"Of course you can do nothing abrupt," he continued. "But I should think you might gradually——"
"I understand you absolutely," said I, rising to my feet.
"What I mean is——"
"My dear fellow, not another word is needed."
"You don't mind if I mention to Victoria that I have——?"
"Put it in the evening papers, if you like," said I.