"'When you read these lines, I shall be in the Silent Land, whither Alice, my wife, has gone before me.'"
Then Mr. Emblem began to stammer.
"'In one small thing we deceived you, Alice and I. My name is not Aglen'—is not Aglen—"
And here a strange thing happened. His memory failed him at this point.
"Take time," said Arnold; "there is no hurry."
Mr. Emblem shook his head.
"I shall remember the rest to-morrow, perhaps," he said.
"Is there anything else you have to help us?" asked Arnold: "never mind the letter, Mr. Emblem. No doubt that will come back presently. You see we want to find out, first, who Iris's father really was, and what is her real name. There was his coat-of-arms. That will connect her with some family, though it may be a family with many branches."
"Yes—oh yes! his coat-of-arms. I have seen his signet-ring a dozen times. Yes, his coat; yes, first and fourth, two roses and a boar's head erect; second and third—I forget."
"Humph! Was there any one who knew him before he was married?"