Arthur followed, giving me a cheerful wink.  They remained about ten minutes, during which time I speculated, and read a little book about Epping Forest, which was on the table; looked out of the window, and felt rather ill myself.

At last, the tall door creaked, and Arthur came out, followed by the doctor.

“I hope you will see, sir,” he said to me, “that Mr. Hamilton is particular in following my directions, if you have any influence with him.”

“I am afraid I haven’t got the temperament of a patient,” said Arthur, smiling.  “But I am very much obliged to you.  Good morning.”

“What did he say to you?” I said, as soon as we were in our cab again.

“Oh, he spoke to me like a father,” said Arthur:  “gave me a lot of wretched directions which I know I shan’t attend to.  But we have wasted much too much time medically already this morning.”  And he changed the subject to the discussion which we had been carrying on before.

A few days after this I went to see him, and found him much better.

“What do you think?” he said:  “I am going to undertake the charge of a human being.  Do you remember our conversation about adopting children, and the educational experiments we meant to try?  I shall have the chance now.”

On my inquiring what had happened, he told me his experience at Teheran, related in a former chapter; and said that, on reflection, he had thought well to accept the commission, adding that he had been surprised to find waiting for him, when he had returned home at a late hour a few nights before his visit to Dr. Hall, a tall foreign gentleman, who had introduced himself as a friend of Mr. Bruce’s (so the recluse chose to call himself), and as the bearer of a message from him, the purport of which was to ask whether he would accept Mr. Bruce’s commission.

“I am authorized to state,” the stranger added, “in the event of your acquiescing, that the method of procedure will be left entirely to yourself; that no question will be asked or conditions made; the boy will be sent to London or to any other address you may appoint; that L400 a year, quarterly, will be placed to your credit at the Westminster Bank for all necessary expenses; and that a draft in your name, for any further sum that you may think requisite, will be honoured.

“If you would forward your answer to Morley’s Hotel, to the address on my card, any time within the next week, I shall be grateful.  My instructions are not to press for an immediate answer.”  And the gentleman bowed himself out.

He showed me a short letter which he had written accepting the charge; and, shortly after, I rose to go.  But he detained me rather pointedly; and after a short time, in which he appeared to be considering something, he begged me to sit down again, and consider whether I would listen to a short statement of facts on which he wanted my advice.  “They are,” he said, “I fear, a little painful, and therefore I do not press it; but I should be sincerely obliged to you.”