"Brimberly, I'm afraid I am, but I hope I don't intrude?"
"Intrude, sir!" repeated Mr. Brimberly. "Oh, very facetious, sir, very facetious indeed!" and he laughed, deferentially and soft.
"I blew the horn, but I see he left his hat behind him!" sighed Young R., nodding languidly toward the headgear of Mr. Stevens, which had fallen beneath a chair and thus escaped notice.
"Why, I—indeed, sir," said Mr. Brimberly, stooping to make a fierce clutch at it, "I took the liberty of showing a friend of mine your—your picters, sir—no offence, I 'ope, sir?"
"Friend?" murmured his master.
"Name of Stevens, sir, valet to Lord Barberton—a most sooperior person indeed, sir!"
"Barberton? I don't agree with you, Brimberly."
"Stevens, sir!"
"Ah! And you showed him my—pictures, did you?"
"Yes, sir, I did take that liberty—no offence, sir, I—"