My landlady absolutely curtsied, with her hands clasped.
'If you think that is a fair price,' I said.
The stranger looked at me for a minute, then turned to my landlady.
'Pardon me a minute,' he said, waving a backward hand to me. Then to the landlady; 'What sort of gentleman is this? Dissipated dog, eh?'
'Lord bless you, no, sir,' said the landlady; 'the steadiest gentleman I ever had in the house.'
'H'm,' said the stranger, facing round on me. 'Want a hundred pounds for 'em, eh? Very well. If I can't get 'em for less. Pen and ink anywhere? Ah, I see.'
He wrote a cheque standing at the table. Then he produced a card.
'That's my address. Glad to see you, if you'll call. Any Friday evening after eight. I've got a cab at the door, and I'll take these away at once.'
I was embarrassed by a terrible suspicion. I had read and heard much of London fraud.
'You will pardon me, sir. You are too much a man of the world not to forgive a little caution in a man who is selling all he has.' Then I stumbled and could not go on.