"Oh, really! And if she is not my wife, whom do you suspect her of being?"
"I have no idea."
"You astonish me." In trying to conceal his agitation Cyril unfortunately assumed an air of frigid detachment, which only served to exasperate the doctor still further.
"Your manner is insulting, my lord."
"Your suspicions are so flattering!" drawled Cyril.
The doctor glared at Cyril for a moment but seemed at a loss for a crushing reply.
"You must acknowledge that appearances are against you," he said at last, making a valiant effort to control his temper. "If you are a man of honour, you ought to appreciate that my position is a very difficult one and to be as ready to forgive me, if I have erred through excessive zeal, as I shall be to apologise to you. Now let me ask you one more question. Why were you so anxious that I should not see the jewels?"
"Oh, had you not seen them? I thought, of course, that you had. I apologise for not having satisfied your curiosity."
There was a short pause during which the doctor looked long and searchingly at Cyril.
"I can't help it. I feel that there is something fishy about this business. You can't convince me to the contrary."