\"Ifyouwillexcuseme，\"hesaid，\"Iwilltelltheboythathecango.\"
Weheardhim，amomentlater，turnthekeyintheouterdoor;andwhenhecamebackandhadmadeupthefire，hetoldusthebeginningofthestory.
ThenameofthemanburiedinHighgateCemeterywasHepworth，afterall.NotMichael，butAlex，theelderbrother.
Fromboyhoodhehadbeenviolent，brutal，unscrupulous.JudgingfromEllenby’sstory，itwasdifficulttoaccepthimasaproductofmoderncivilisation.Ratherhewouldseemtohavebeenathrowbacktosomesavage，buccaneeringancestor.Toexpecthimtowork，whilehecouldliveinviciousidlenessatsomebodyelse’sexpense，wasfoundtobehopeless.Hisdebtswerepaidforaboutthethirdorfourthtime，andhewasshippedofftotheColonies.Unfortunately，therewerenomeansofkeepinghimthere.Sosoonasthemoneyprovidedhimhadbeensquandered，hereturned，demandingmorebymenacesandthreats.Meetingwithunexpectedfirmness，heseemstohaveregardedtheftandforgeryastheonlyalternativelefttohim.
Tosavehimfrompunishmentandthefamilynamefromdisgrace，hisparents’savingsweresacrificed.Itwasgriefandshamethat，accordingtoEllenby，killedthembothwithinafewmonthsofoneanother.