he designed sending on the errand who had just then arrived in one of his and who so that he thought himself employed grave and serious business would go anywhere why the truth is said john after a long pause that the person who d go is a sort of natural as one may say sir and though quick of foot and as much to be trusted as the post itself he s not good at talking being touched and sir you don t said the guest raising his eyes to john s fat face you don t mean � what s the fellow s name � you don t mean yes i do returned the landlord his features turning quite expressive with surprise how comes he to be here inquired the guest leaning back in his chair speaking in the bland even tone from which he never varied and with the same soft courteous never changing smile upon his ce i saw him in london last night he s for ever here one hour and there the next old john the usual pause to get the question in his mind sometimes he walks and sometimes runs he s known along the road by everybody sometimes comes here in a cart or chaise and sometimes riding double he comes and goes through wind rain snow and hail and on the darkest nights nothing hurts he goes often to this does he not said the guest carelessly i seem to remember his mother telling me something to that effect yesterday but i was not attending to the good woman much you re right sir john made answer he does his sir was murdered in that house so i have heard the guest taking a gold from his pocket with the same smile a very disagreeable circumstance for the family very said john with a puzzled look as if it occurred to him dimly and off that this might by possibility be a cool way of treating the subject au the circumstances after a murder said the guest must be dreadfully unpleasant � so much bustle and no repose � a constant dwelling upon one subject � and the running in and out and up and down stairs intolerable i wouldn t have such a thing happen to anybody i was nearly interested in on any account be enough to one s life out � you were going to say mend � he added turning to john again only that mrs lives on a little from the family and that s as tree of the house as any cat or dog about ity john shall he do your errand sir oh yes replied the guest oh certainly let him do it by all means please to bring him here that i may charge him to be quick if he objects to come you may tell him it s mr he will remember my name i dare say john was so very much astonished to find who his visitor was that he could express no astonishment at all by looks or � otherwise but left the room as if he were in the most placid and of all possible conditions it has been reported that when he got down stairs he looked steadily at the for ten minutes by the dock and all that time never once left off shaking his head for which statement there seem to be some of truth and inasmuch as that interval of time did certainly before he returned with to the guest s apartment come hither lad said mr you know mr laughed and looked at the landlord as though he would say you hear him john who was greatly shocked at this breach of decorum clapped his finger to his nose and shook his head in mute remonstrance he knows him sir said john frowning aside at as well as you or i do i haven t the pleasure of much acquaintance with the gentleman returned his guest you may have limit the comparison to yourself my mend although this was said with the same easy and the same smile john felt himself put down and laying the at s door determined to kick his on the very first opportunity give that said the guest who had by this time sealed the note and who beckoned his messenger towards him as lie spoke into mr s own hands wait for an answer and bring it back to me � here if you should find that mr is engaged just now tell him � can he remember a message landlord when he chooses sir replied john he won t forget this one how you sure of that john merely to him as he stood with his head bent forward and his earnest gaze fixed closely on his s face and nodded teu him then should he be engaged said mr that i shall be glad to wait his convenience here and to see him if he will call at any time this evening � at the worst i can have a bed here i suppose old john immensely flattered by the personal implied in this form of address answered with something like a knowing look i should believe you could sir and was turning over in his mind various forms of with the view of selecting one appropriate to the qualities of his best bed when his ideas were put to flight by mr giving the letter and bidding him make all speed away speed said folding the little packet in breast speed if you want to see and mystery come here here with that he put his hand very much to john s horror on the guest s fine sleeve and led him stealthily to the back window look down there he said do you mark how they whisper in each other s ears dance and leap to make believe they are in sport do you 