He started, and looked at me in great surprise.

“In London?” he repeated.  “How did it get to London from Lady Verinder’s house?”

“Nobody knows.”

“You removed it with your own hand from Miss Verinder’s room.  How was it taken out of your keeping?”

“I have no idea how it was taken out of my keeping.”

“Did you see it, when you woke in the morning?”

“No.”

“Has Miss Verinder recovered possession of it?”

“No.”

“Mr. Blake! there seems to be something here which wants clearing up.  May I ask how you know that the Diamond is, at this moment, in London?”

I had put precisely the same question to Mr. Bruff when I made my first inquiries about the Moonstone, on my return to England.  In answering Ezra Jennings, I accordingly repeated what I had myself heard from the lawyer’s own lips—­and what is already familiar to the readers of these pages.

He showed plainly that he was not satisfied with my reply.

“With all deference to you,” he said, “and with all deference to your legal adviser, I maintain the opinion which I expressed just now.  It rests, I am well aware, on a mere assumption.  Pardon me for reminding you, that your opinion also rests on a mere assumption as well.”

The view he took of the matter was entirely new to me.  I waited anxiously to hear how he would defend it.

“I assume,” pursued Ezra Jennings, “that the influence of the opium—­after impelling you to possess yourself of the Diamond, with the purpose of securing its safety—­might also impel you, acting under the same influence and the same motive, to hide it somewhere in your own room.  You assume that the Hindoo conspirators could by no possibility commit a mistake.  The Indians went to Mr. Luker’s house after the Diamond—­and, therefore, in Mr. Luker’s possession the Diamond must be!  Have you any evidence to prove that the Moonstone was taken to London at all?  You can’t even guess how, or by whom, it was removed from Lady Verinder’s house!  Have you any evidence that the jewel was pledged to Mr. Luker?  He declares that he never heard of the Moonstone; and his bankers’ receipt acknowledges nothing but the deposit of a valuable of great price.  The Indians assume that Mr. Luker is lying—­and you assume again that the Indians are right.  All I say, in differing with you, is—­that my view is possible.  What more, Mr. Blake, either logically, or legally, can be said for yours?”

It was put strongly; but there was no denying that it was put truly as well.

“I confess you stagger me,” I replied.  “Do you object to my writing to Mr. Bruff, and telling him what you have said?”

“On the contrary, I shall be glad if you will write to Mr. Bruff.  If we consult his experience, we may see the matter under a new light.  For the present, let us return to our experiment with the opium.  We have decided that you leave off the habit of smoking from this moment.”