'I hope, sir, that he was equally struck by you.'
'Well, we'll hope so. Indeed, without self-conceit, I think I may safely say that I believe he was.'
There was something in his tone which struck me.
'I don't know what you mean, sir, but I see you do mean something. I hope it's something to your credit.'
He moved, leaning his elbow on the mantelpiece, so that his face was half-turned away from me. He was so tall that he had to stoop to get his elbow in its place, though the shelf is pretty high.
'So the real name of the man I knew as Montagu Babbacombe is Merrett.'
'Yes, sir; James Merrett.'
'James Merrett. That is his real name?'
'So far as I know.'
'At any rate it is the name under which you married him.'