IhadexpectedthatthevaletwouldbedismissedwhenIappeared，butnothingofthesorthappened。Therehestood，infrontofhismaster’schair，tremblingundertheweightoftheetchings，andthereMrFairliesat，serenelytwirlingthemagnifyingglassbetweenhiswhitefingersandthumbs。
`Ihavecometospeaktoyouonaveryimportantmatter，’Isaid，`andyouwillthereforeexcuseme，ifIsuggestthatwehadbetterbealone。’
Theunfortunatevaletlookedatmegratefully。MrFairliefaintlyrepeatedmylastthreewords，`betterbealone，’witheveryappearanceoftheutmostpossibleastonishment。
Iwasinnohumourfortrifling，andIresolvedtomakehimunderstandwhatImeant。
`Obligemebygivingthatmanpermissiontowithdraw，’Isaid，pointingtothevalet。