"I think, sir, you have been faithful to your trust."
"It is very kind of you to say so, but I cannot agree with you. I blame myself, and if the owner of the fortune is not found, I always shall blame myself."
"What more could you have done?"
"Had I started in immediately after the expiration of the twenty years I might have been successful. The real owners of the fortune might have known something about the affair and have been on the lookout for information, but after five years they may have given up in despair."
"And you want me to find the owner of the fortune?"
"Yes."
"I certainly will perform a great detective feat if I succeed."
"Yes, you will."
"Accident may aid me; I owe a great deal to accident in my past investigations."
"I will tell you one thing: it is worth your while to succeed."