’Yes, Sir—­like a page cut out of a book, and never missed till ’twas found again; and then sharp and clear, every letter from first to last.  Then, Sir—­then—­thinking ’twas no use at that distance of time taking steps to punish him, I—­I foolishly let him understand I knew him.  My mind misgave me from the first.  I think it was my good angel that warned me.  But ’tis no use now.  I’m not a man to be easily frightened.  But it seemed to me he was something altogether worse than a man, and like—­like Satan; and too much for me every way.  If I was wise I’d have left him alone.  But ’tis no good fretting now.  It was to be.  I was too outspoken—­’twas always my way—­and I let him know; and—­and you see, he meant to make away with me.  He tried to take my life, Sir; and I think he has done it.  I’ll never rise from this bed, gentlemen.  I’m done for.’

’Come, Doctor Sturk, you mustn’t talk that way, Pell will be out this evening, and Dillon may be—­though faith!  I don’t quite know that Pell will meet him—­but we’ll put our heads together, and deuce is in it or we’ll set you on your legs again.’

Sturk was screwing his lips sternly together, and the lines of his gruff haggard face were quivering, and a sullen tear or two started down from his closed eye.

’I’m—­I’m a little nervous, gentlemen—­I’ll be right just now I’d like to see the—­the children, if they’re in the way, that’s all—­by-and-by, you know.’

’I’ve got Pell out, you see—­not that there’s any special need—­you know; but he was here before, and it wouldn’t do to offend him; and he’ll see you this afternoon.’

‘I thank you, Sir,’ said Sturk, in the same dejected way.

‘And, Sir,’ said Lowe, ’if you please, I’ll get this statement into the shape of a deposition or information, for you see ’tis of the vastest imaginable importance, and exactly tallies with evidence we’ve got elsewhere, and ‘twouldn’t do, Sir, to let it slip.’

And Toole thought he saw a little flush mount into Sturk’s sunken face, and he hastened to say—­

’What we desire, Dr. Sturk, is to be able to act promptly in this case of my Lord Dunoran.  Measures must be taken instantly, you see, for ’tis of old standing, and not a day to be lost, and there’s why Mr. Lowe is so urgent to get your statement in white and black.’

‘And sworn to,’ added Mr. Lowe.

‘I’ll swear it,’ said Sturk, in the same sad tones.

And Mrs. Sturk came in, and Toole gave leave for chicken broth at twelve o’clock, about two table-spoonsful, and the same at half-past one, when he hoped to be back again.  And on the lobby he gave her, with a cheery countenance, all the ambiguous comfort he could.  And Lowe asked Mrs. Sturk for more pens and paper, and himself went down to give his man a direction at the door, and on the way, in the hall, Toole looking this way and that, to see they weren’t observed, beckoned him into the front parlour, and, said he, in a low key—­