'Well, then, I'll tell you another thing, said Beste-Chetwynde. 'You know that man Philbrick. Well, I think there's something odd about him.
'I've no doubt of it.
'It's not just that he's such a bad butler. The servants are always ghastly here. But I don't believe he's a butler at all.
'I don't quite see what else he can be.
'Well, have you ever known a butler with a diamond tie‑pin?
'No, I don't think I have.
'Well, Philbrick's got one, and a diamond ring too. He showed them to Brolly. Colossal great diamonds, Brolly says. Philbrick said he used to have bushels of diamonds and emeralds before the war, and that he used to eat off gold plate. We believe that he's a Russian prince in exile.
'Generally speaking, Russians are not shy about using their titles, are they? Besides, he looks very English.
'Yes, we thought of that, but Brolly said lots of Russians came to school in England before the war. And now I am going to play the organ, said Beste‑Chetwynde. 'After all, my mother does pay five guineas a term extra for me to learn.