whichourvisitordetailedtous.
“Youmustknow,”saidhe,“thatIamanorphanandabachelor,residingaloneinlodgingsinLondon.ByprofessionIamahydraulicengineer,andIhavehadconsiderableexperienceofmyworkduringthesevenyearsthatIwasapprenticedtoVenner&Matheson,thewell-knownfirm,ofGreenwich.Twoyearsago,havingservedmytime,andhavingalsocomeintoafairsumofmoneythroughmypoorfather’sdeath,IdeterminedtostartinbusinessformyselfandtookprofessionalchambersinVictoriaStreet.
“Isupposethateveryonefindshisfirstindependentstartinbusinessadrearyexperience.Tomeithasbeenexceptionallyso.DuringtwoyearsIhavehadthreeconsultationsandonesmalljob,andthatisabsolutelyallthatmyprofessionhasbroughtme.Mygrosstakingsamountto￡2710s.Everyday,fromnineinthemorninguntilfourintheafternoon,Iwaitedinmylittleden,untilatlastmyheartbegantosink,andIcametobelievethatIshouldneverhaveanypracticeatall.
“Yesterday,however,justasIwasthinkingofleavingtheoffice,myclerkenteredtosaytherewasagentlemanwaitingwhowishedtoseemeuponbusiness.Hebroughtupacard,too,withthenameof‘ColonelLysanderStark’engraveduponit.Closeathisheelscamethecolonelhimself,amanratheroverthemiddlesize,butofanexceedingthinness.IdonotthinkthatIhaveeverseensothinaman.Hiswholefacesharpenedawayintonoseandchin,andtheskinofhischeekswasdrawnquitetenseoverhisoutstandingbones.Yetthisemaciationseemedtobehisnaturalhabit,andduetonodisease,forhiseyewasbright,hisstepbrisk,andhisbearingassured.Hewasplainlybutneatlydressed,andhisage,Ishouldjudge,wouldbenearerfortythanthirty.
“‘Mr.Hatherley?’saidhe,withsomethingofaGermanaccent.‘Youhavebeenrecommendedtome,Mr.Hatherley,asbeingamanwhoisnotonlyproficientinhisprofessionbutisalsodiscreetandcapableofpreservingasecret.’
“Ibowed,feelingasflatteredasanyyoungmanwouldatsuchanaddress.‘MayIaskwhoitwaswhogavemesogoodacharacter?’
“‘Well,perhapsitisbetterthatIshouldnottellyouthatjustatthismoment.IhaveitfromthesamesourcethatyouarebothanorphanandabachelorandareresidingaloneinLondon.’
“‘Thatisquitecorrect,’Ianswered‘butyouwillexcusemeifIsaythatIcannotseehowallthisbearsuponmyprofessionalqualifications.Iunderstandthatitwasonaprofessionalmatterthatyouwishedtospeaktome?’
“‘Undoubtedlyso.ButyouwillfindthatallIsayisreallytothepoint.Ihaveaprofessionalcommissionforyou,butabsolutesecrecyisquiteessential—absolutesecrecy,youunderstand,andofcoursewemayexpectthatmorefromamanwhoisalonethanfromonewholivesinthebosomofhisfamily.’
“‘IfIpromisetokeepasecret,’saidI,‘youmayabsolutelydependuponmydoingso.’
“HelookedveryhardatmeasIspoke,anditseemedtomethatIhadneverseensosuspiciousandquestioninganeye.
“‘Doyoupromise,then?’saidheatlast.
“‘Yes,Ipromise.’
“‘Absoluteandcompletesilencebefore,during,andafter?Noreferencetothematteratall,eitherinwordorwriting?’
“‘Ihavealreadygivenyoumyword.’
“‘Verygood.’Hesuddenlysprangup,anddartinglikelightningacrosstheroomheflungopenthedoor.Thepassageoutsidewasempty.
“‘That’sallright,’saidhe,comingback.‘Iknowthatclerksaresometimescuriousastotheirmaster’saffairs.Nowwecantalkinsafety.’Hedrewuphischairveryclosetomineandbegantostareatmeagainwiththesamequestioningandthoughtfullook.
“Afeelingofrepulsion,andofsomethingakintofearhadbeguntorisewithinmeatthestrangeanticsofthisfleshlessman.Evenmydreadoflosingaclientcouldnotrestrainmefromshowingmyimpatience.
“‘Ibegthatyouwillstateyourbusiness,sir,’saidI‘mytimeisofvalue.’Heavenforgivemeforthatlastsentence,butthewordscametomylips.
“‘Howwouldfiftyguineasforanight’sworksuityou?’heasked.
“‘Mostadmirably.’
“‘Isayanight’swork,butanhour’swouldbenearerthemark.Isimplywantyouropinionaboutahydraulicstampingmachinewhichhasgotoutofgear.Ifyoushowuswhatiswrongweshallsoonsetitrightourselves.Whatdoyouthinkofsuc