Remembering that James had been in attendance upon us in de Cartienne’s rooms last night, I thought that this was rather cool. But it was no concern of mine and I held my peace.
Dr. Randall frowned slightly and looked vexed.
“It appears to me that Silchester does most of his reading at night,” he remarked. “I could wish that the results of it were a little more apparent. And Mr. de Cartienne, James? Has he overslept himself, too?”
“Mr. de Cartienne will be here immediately, sir,” the man announced.
We began breakfast. When we were about half-way through the meal, the door opened and de Cartienne appeared. He cast an apprehensive glance at me, and then, seeing that Dr. Randall greeted him as usual, looked relieved.
Presently the doctor left the table, bidding us join him in the study in half an hour. Directly the door had closed de Cartienne leaned back in his chair and laughed softly to himself.
“Whatever made you get up so early?” he asked, looking at me curiously. “Gave me quite a turn when I heard that you were down and alone with Grumps; and Cis was in an awful funk. We were afraid that you might let out something about last night—accidentally, of course; and then there would have been the deuce to pay and no mistake. James, take my plate and bring me a brandy-and-soda. Take care the doctor doesn’t see you.”
“Whose servant is James?” I asked, as he disappeared—“yours or the doctor’s?”
“The doctor imagines that he’s his, I suppose; but he gets a lot more from Cis and me than Grumps pays him,” de Cartienne explained carelessly. “I knew him before he came here, and got him to apply for the situation by promising to double his wages.”
“And the advantages?” I asked.