«What made him lose his head?»
«A chain of unforeseen accidents. Levy's having been recognized — my mother's son having foolishly advertised in the Times his connection with the Battersea end of the mystery — Detective Parker (whose photograph has been a little prominent in the illustrated press lately) seen sitting next door to the Duchess of Denver at the inquest. His aim in life was to prevent the two ends of the problem from linking up. And there were two of the links, literally side by side. Many criminals are wrecked by over-caution.»
Parker was silent.
XI
«A regular pea-souper, by Jove,» said Lord Peter.
Parker grunted, and struggled irritably into an overcoat.
«It affords me, if I may say so, the greatest satisfaction,» continued the noble lord, «that in a collaboration like ours all the uninteresting and disagreeable routine work is done by you.»
Parker grunted again.
«Do you anticipate any difficulty about the warrant?» enquired Lord Peter.
Parker grunted a third time.