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Geralddidnotspeakforseveralmoments。Hiseyeswerestillfixeduponthebackofthedisappearingcar。ThenheturnedtowardsHamel。
“Thereisn’tmuch，“hesaidsoftly，“thatMr。Fentolindoesn’tknow。
Ifthatdetectivewasreallyonhiswayhere，therewasn’tanychanceofkeepingMr。Dunstertohimself。Yousee，thewholestoryiscommonproperty。Andyet，there’ssomethingabouttheaffairthatbothersme。“
“Andme，“Hameladmitted，watchingthecaruntilitbecameaspeckinthedistance。
“Hewasfairlywellcornered，“Geraldconcluded，astheymadetheirwaybacktothedining-room，“butitisn’tlikehimtoletgoofanythingsoeasily。“
“Soyou’veseenthelastofourguest，“Mr。Fentolinremarked，asamelandGeraldre-enteredthedining-room。“Aqueerfellow-almostanewtypetome。Doggedandindustrious，Ishouldthink。Hehadn’ttheleastrighttotravel，youknow，andIthinksolongaswehadtakenthetroubletotelephonetoNorwich，hemighthavewaitedtoseethephysician。Sarsonwasveryangryaboutit，butwhatcanyoudowiththesefellowswhoareneverill？Theyscarcelyknowwhatphysicaldisabilitymeans。Well，Mr。Hamel，andhowareyougointoamuseyourselfto-day？“
“IhadthoughtofcommencingsomereadingIbroughtwithme，“Hamelreplied，“butMissEstherhaschallengedmetoanothergameofgolf。“
“Excellent！“Mr。Fentolindeclared。“Itisverykindofyouindeed，Mr。Hamel。Itisalwaysamatterofregretformethatsocietyinthesepartsissorestricted。Mynephewandniecehavelittleopportunityforenjoyingthemselves。PlaygolfwithMr。Hamel，byallmeans，mydearchild，“hecontinued，turningtohisniece。“Makethemostofthisgloriousspringweather。Andwhataboutyou，Gerald？
Whatareyoudoingto-day？“
“Ihaven’tmadeupmymindyet，sir，“theboyreplied。
Mr。Fentolinsighed。
“Alwaysthatlackofinitiative，“heremarked。“Alackofinitiativeisoneofyourworstfaults，Iamafraid，dearGerald。“
Theboylookedupquickly。Foramomentitseemedasthoughhewereabouttomakeafiercereply。HemetMr。Fentolin’ssteadygaze，however，andthewordsdiedawayuponhislips。
“Iratherthought，“hesaid，“ofgoingintoNorwich，ifyoucouldspareme。CaptainHolthasaskedmetolunchattheBarracks。“
Mr。Fentolinshookhisheadgently。
“Itismostunfortunate，“hedeclared。“Ihaveacommissionforyoulaterintheday。“
Geraldcontinuedhisbreakfastinsilence。Hebentoverhisplatesothathisfacewasalmostinvisible。Mr。Fentolinwaspeelingapeach。Aservantenteredtheroom。
“LieutenantGodfrey，sir，“heannounced。
Theyalllookedup。Atrim，clean-shaven，hard-featuredyoungmaninnavaluniformwasstandinguponthethreshold。HebowedtoEsther。
“Verysorrytointrude，sir，atthishourofthemorning，“hesaidbriskly。“LieutenantGodfrey，myname。IamflaglieutenantoftheBritannia。Youcan’tseeher，butshe’sno
