a on which he had flung it when
he came home the previous night. It was a very light coat,--fitted
for May use,--lined with silk, and by no means suited for enveloping
the face or person. But it had a collar which might be made to stand
up. "That at any rate was the coat I wore," said Finn, in answer to
some observation from the barrister. "The man that Lord Fawn saw,"
said Mr. Low, "was, as I understand, enveloped in a heavy great
coat." "So Fawn has got his finger in the pie!" said Lord Chiltern.

Mr. Low had been there an hour, Lord Chiltern remaining also in
the room, when there came three men belonging to the police,--a
superintendent and with him two constables. When the men were shown
up into the room neither the bludgeon or the coat had been moved
from the small table as Phineas had himself placed them there. Both
Phineas and Chiltern had lit cigars, and they were all there sitting
in silence. Phineas had entertained the idea that Mr. Low believed
the charge, and that the barrister was therefore an enemy. Mr. Low
had perceived this, but had not felt it to be his duty to declare his
opinion of his friend's innocence. What he could do for his friend
he would do; but, as he thought, he could serve him better now by
silent observation than by protestation. Lord Chiltern, who had
been implored by Phineas not to leave him, continued to pour forth
unabating execrations on the monstrous malignity of the accusers. "I
do not know that there are any accusers," said Mr. Low, "except the
circumstances which the police must, of course, investigate." Then
the men came, and the nature of their duty was soon explained. They
must request Mr. Finn to go with them to Bow Street. They took
possession of many articles besides the two which had been prepared
for them,--the dress coat and shirt which Phineas had worn, and the
boots. He had gone out to dinner with a Gibus hat, and they took
that. They took his umbrella and his latch-key. They asked, even, as
to his purse and money;--but abstained from taking the purse when
Mr. Low suggested that they could have no concern with that. As it
happened, Phineas was at the moment wearing the shirt in which he
had dined out on the previous day, and the men asked him whether
he had any objection to change it in their presence,--as it might
be necessary, after the examination, that it should be detained
as evidence. He did so, in the presence of all the men assembled;
but the humiliation of doi