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"What is the game now?" thought Ashmead. But what he said was, "Why, I know that face. I declare, it is the gent that treated me at Homburg. Bring in the hamper, Dick." Then to Poikilus, "Have ye dined yet?" "No. Going to dine in half an hour. Roast gosling. Just enough for two." "We'll divide it, if you like, and I'll stand a bottle of old Madeira.
Severne received it at breakfast, and laid it before Zoe, which had a favorable effect on her mind to begin. Poikilus reported that the money was in good hands. He had seen the lady. She made no secret of the thing the sum was 4,900 pounds, and she said half belonged to her and half to a gentleman. She did not know him, but her agent, Ashmead, did.
He was artful enough to tell her, on the information of Poikilus, that Vizard had hired the cathedral choir three times a week to sing to his inamorata; and that he had driven her about Taddington, dressed like a duchess, in a whole suit of sables. At that word the girl turned pale. He observed, and continued: "And it seems these sables are known throughout the county.
The friends sat down to dinner, and afterward to the Madeira, both gay and genial outside, but within full of design their object being to pump one another. In the encounter at Homburg, Ashmead had an advantage; Poikilus thought himself unknown to Ashmead. But this time there was a change. Poikilus knew by this time that La Klosking had gone to Vizard Court.
She withdrew into the embrasure, and had some confidential talk with him. As a matter of course, he told her about Poikilus, and that he was hunting down Severne for his money. "Indeed!" said the Klosking. "Please tell me every word that passed between you." He did so, as nearly as he could remember. Mademoiselle Klosking leaned her brow upon her hand a considerable time in thought.
"So it was." "This won't do. You mustn't fib to me! It was Poikilus, a Secret Inquiry; and they all know it; now tell me, without a fib if you can what ever did you want with Poikilus?" Severne looked aghast. He faltered out, "Why, how could they know?" "Why, he advertises, stupid! and Lord Uxmoor and Harrington had seen it. Gentlemen read advertisements. That is one of their peculiarities."
I knew the man in a moment; calls himself Poikilus in print, and Smith to talk to; but he is Aaron at the bottom of it all, and can speak several languages. Confound their impudence! putting a detective on to us, when it is they that are keeping dark." "Who do you think has sent him?" asked Ina, intently. "The party interested, I suppose." "Interested in what?"
The present incident I have recorded did not end here; and I must now follow Poikilus on his mission to Homburg; and if the reader has a sense of justice, methinks he will not complain of the journey, for see how long I have neglected the noblest figure in this story, and the most to be pitied. To desert her longer would be too unjust, and derange entirely the balance of this complicated story.
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