"Yes, sir—yes, sir. Mr. Harrison, sir—Mr. Harrison. Because I didn't hear the bell, sir. I didn't hear the bell, sir. I didn't hear the—— Because I was in the hall, sir—watching, sir, according to your directions. Yes, sir, they have arrived—the ones on the paper, sir—Mrs. Veddleham, Mr. Rodney, and Mr. Van Adams, sir. What do you say, sir?—one maid and one valet, sir—one maid and one—— Not much to look at, sir. Which, sir—the valet or the maid? Oh, rather like a rat, sir. Rather like a ra—— No, not the maid, sir, the valet. Yes, sir, I know I am—I know I'm responsible, I say, sir. Poke their noses? oh, on no account, sir—by no means—not at all—by no means, sir—not at—— Now, sir? Mr. Rodney is in the purple drawing-room, sir——"
"Am I?" murmured that gentleman vaguely to himself on the stairs.
"The purp—— Mrs. Veddleham, sir? She has retired, sir, to—— Not fatigued, sir, retired.—Seems very quiet, sir, so far. Not Mr. Adams, Mrs. Veddleham, sir. He has gone upstairs, sir—to his bedroom, sir—to brush his hair, I presume, sir—I presume to bru—— I didn't take partic'lar notice, sir—I didn't take partic—— I will, sir; oh, indeed you may depend—— Rely on me, sir—till I drop, sir—I say till I dr—— I beg pardon, sir—the what, sir?—the what do you say, sir?—Partridges, sir?—Parliament do you say, sir?—I beg pardon—peppermint, sir?—pepperm—oh, parrots! Oh dear no, sir—oh dear no, they shall not be tamp—— I say, sir, they shall not be, while I am here, sir.—Thank you, sir, and the same to Mrs. Lite, sir.—Mr. Rodney, sir? Makes himself quite at home, sir—makes himself qui—— I says they do not allow it to be employed in their absence, sir—they do not al—— I thought you would, sir—I am glad I have done ri—— Which, sir?—the which do you say, sir?—the parrots, sir? Do you say the parr—— Oh, quite theirselves, so far, sir—I say they seem quite theirselves so far. A little quiet p'raps, sir—a little quieter than usual p'raps, sir.—Only twice, sir, as I heard—only Hallelujah twice, sir, and rather low if anything, sir—lower than usual if anything, sir. I will notify you, sir—certainly, I will take care to noti—— What, sir? Lame, sir, do you say? Which of 'em, sir? None of 'em are lame, sir—I say none of 'em are lame so far as I've—— Not lame, sir! Not lame! James, sir—oh, I under—— Mr. James Bush, sir!"
Mr. Rodney pricked up his ears at this point, and leaned a little lower upon the balustrade towards the hidden voice of the groom of the chambers.
"Mr. Bush, sir—oh, I will indeed—a special eye on him—certainly, sir. If he should I will indeed, sir—I say I will indeed if he should.—I believe at three-fifteen, sir. If you will give me a mo—a moment I will see, sir——"
Here there was a pause, and a sound of paper rustling.
"It is three-fifteen, sir. In the hall, sir, I will indeed. Rely on—— He shall not, sir—I say he shall not, if I have to—— Night, sir—do you say at night, sir? Very well, sir—I say ver—— I will endeavour not to let him know it, sir. Softly, sir? Oh, most deci—— Mr. Bush, sir? Do you say Mr. Bu—— Rather him, sir, than the rest I see—I say I see, sir. At all times after Mr. Bush, sir—yes."
Just at this point Harry, Mr. Rodney's man, appeared abruptly on the staircase, coming down, and almost ran into his bent-double master. Mr. Rodney hastily reared himself up to his full height.
"Kindly show me my room, Harry," he said; "I am looking for it."