«Good-bye, dear.»
«Bunter!»
«Yes, my lord.»
«Her Grace tells me that a respectable Battersea architect has discovered a dead man in his bath.»
«Indeed, my lord? That's very gratifying.»
«Very, Bunter. Your choice of words is unerring. I wish Eton and Balliol had done as much for me. Have you found the catalogue?»
«Here it is, my lord.»
«Thanks. I am going to Battersea at once. I want you to attend the sale for me. Don't lose time — I don't want to miss the Folio Dante[1] nor the de Voragine — here you are — see? “Golden Legend” — Wynkyn de Worde, 1493 — got that? — and, I say, make a special effort for the Caxton folio of the “Four Sons of Aymon” — it's the 1489 folio and unique. Look! I've marked the lots I want, and put my outside offer against each. Do your best for me. I shall be back to dinner.»
«Very good, my lord.»
«Take my cab and tell him to hurry. He may for you; he doesn't like me very much. Can I,» said Lord Peter, looking at himself in the eighteenth-century mirror over the mantelpiece, «can I have the heart to fluster the flustered Thipps further — that's very difficult to say quickly — by appearing in a top-hat and frock-coat? I think not. Ten to one he will overlook my trousers and mistake me for the undertaker. A grey suit, I fancy, neat but not gaudy, with a hat to tone, suits my other self better. Exit the amateur of first editions; new motif introduced by solo bassoon; enter Sherlock Holmes, disguised as a walking gentleman. There goes Bunter. Invaluable fellow — never offers to do his job when you've told him to do somethin' else. Hope he doesn't miss the “Four Sons of Aymon”. Still, there is another copy of that — in the Vatican.[2] It might become available, you never know — if the Church of Rome went to pot or Switzerland invaded Italy — whereas a strange corpse doesn't turn up in a suburban bathroom more than once in a lifetime — at least, I should think not — at any rate, the number of times it's happened, with a pince-nez, might be counted on the fingers of one hand, I imagine. Dear me! it's a dreadful mistake to ride two hobbies at once.»