"Thank you," I said, "go on. I think I know who the gentleman was."
"He asked me to confide in him, sir, and I told him everything, and the difficulty I feared I should have in finding another situation.
"After some conversation he said he thought I certainly ought to try for your situation, and that if I succeeded to come and let him know, and he would see about the character without troubling the Dook.
"As you know, sir, you were good enough to entertain my application, and I then went straight away to Mr. Saumarez to ask him what I was to do.
"He said that on certain conditions a friend of his would give me a character."
"That was Captain FitzJames, I suppose?" I interrupted.
"Exactly, sir," Brooks replied, "the gentleman who you supposed I had been living with."
"This is pretty bad, Brooks," I said gravely, looking away at the grey horizon. In my heart I was thoroughly sorry for the man. And he was such a good valet, too! No wonder, for he had lived with one of the richest dukes in England.
"Yes, it is pretty bad, sir," he continued, "but not as bad as what's to come. I asked Mr. Saumarez what conditions he required of me, and he told me. First, I was to keep him informed daily of every movement of yours; secondly, I was to be ready to act under his orders in certain 'simple matters.' He explained that these simple matters would consist in 'little acts which would harm no one.'
"At first I was inclined to walk out of the room and leave him, and I think he saw my intention, for he held up his hand and went on further.