«Well,» said Lord Peter, «if he only murdered me you could still hang him — what's the good of wasting a sound, marriageable young male like yourself? Besides, how about old Levy? If you're incapacitated, do you think anybody else is going to find him?»
«But we could frighten Crimplesham by threatening him with the Yard.»
«Well, dash it all, if it comes to that, I can frighten him by threatening him with you, which, seeing you hold what evidence there is, is much more to the point. And, then, suppose it's a wild-goose chase after all, you'll have wasted time when you might have been getting on with the case. There are several things that need doing.»
«Well,» said Parker, silenced but reluctant, «why can't I go, in that case?»
«Bosh!» said Lord Peter. «I am retained (by old Mrs. Thipps, for whom I entertain the greatest respect) to deal with this case, and it's only by courtesy I allow you to have anything to do with it.»
Mr. Parker groaned.
«Will you at least take Bunter?» he said.
«In deference to your feelings,» replied Lord Peter, «I will take Bunter, though he could be far more usefully employed taking photographs or overhauling my wardrobe. When is there a good train to Salisbury, Bunter?»
«There is an excellent train at 10:50, my lord.»
«Kindly make arrangements to catch it,» said Lord Peter, throwing off his bathrobe and trailing away with it into his bedroom. «And Parker — if you have nothing else to do you might get hold of Levy's secretary and look into that little matter of the Peruvian oil.»