d lie in the mummy-case. I folded his
clothes neatly and packed them, with the exception of his boots, in a
suit-case that he had been taking to Paris and which contained nothing
but his night-clothes, toilet articles, and a change of linen. By the
time I had done this and thoroughly washed the oilcloth on the stairs
and landing, the caretaker had returned. I informed him that Mr.
Bellingham had started for Paris and then I went home. The upper part of
the house was, of course, secured by the Chubb lock, but I had also--_ex
abundantia cautelae_--locked the door of the room in which I had
deposited the deceased.

"I had, of course, some knowledge of the methods of embalming, but
principally of those employed by the ancients. Hence, on the following
day, I went to the British Museum library and consulted the most recent
works on the subject; and exceedingly interesting they were, as showing
the remarkable improvements that modern knowledge had effected in this
ancient art. I need not trouble you with details that are familiar to
you. The process that I selected as the simplest for a beginner was
that of formalin injection, and I went straight from the Museum to
purchase the necessary materials. I did not, however, buy an embalming
syringe: the book stated that an ordinary anatomical injecting syringe
would answer the purpose, and I thought it a more discreet purchase.

"I fear that I bungled the injection terribly, although I had carefully
studied the plates in a treatise on anatomy--Gray's, I think. However,
if my methods were clumsy, they were quite effectual. I carried out the
process on the evening of the third day; and when I locked up the house
that night, I had the satisfaction of knowing that poor John's remains
were secure from corruption and decay.

"But this was not enough. The great weight of a fresh body as compared
with that of a mummy would be immediately noticed by those who had the
handling of the mummy-case. Moreover, the damp from the body would
quickly ruin the cartonnage and would cause a steamy film on the inside
of the glass case in which it would be exhibited. And this would
probably lead to an examination. Clearly, then, it was necessary that
the remains of the deceased should be thoroughly dried before they were
enclosed in the cartonnage.

"Here my unfortunate deficiency in scientific knowledge was a great
drawback. I had no idea how this result would be achieved, and in the
end was compelle