out. Then the noises died away and all
was still. Shortly afterwards, the clock pointing to ten, the sergeant
escorted me downstairs again to the billiard-room.

Grundt was still sitting there. A hot wave of anger drove the blood into
my cheeks as I looked at him, fat and soft and so triumphant at his
victory. The sight of him, however, gave me the tonic I needed. My nerve
was shaken badly, but I was determined it must answer to this last
strain, to play this uncouth fish for two hours. After that ... if
nothing happened ...

Clubfoot sent the sergeant away.

"I can look after him myself now," he said, in a blithe tone that
betrayed his conviction of success. So the sergeant saluted and left the
room, his footsteps echoing down the passages like the leaden feet of
Destiny, relentless, inexorable.

CHAPTER XIX

WE HAVE A RECKONING WITH CLUBFOOT

I looked at Clubfoot.

I must play him with caution, with method, too.

Only by acting on a most exact system could I hope to hold him in that
room for two hours. I had four points to argue with him and I would
devote half an hour to each of them by the clock on the bracket above
his head. If only I could keep him confident in his victory, I might
hope to prevent him finding out that I was playing with him ... but two
hours is a long time ... it would be a near thing.

One point in my favour ... my manner gave him the assurance of success
from the start. There was nothing counterfeit about my tone of humility,
for in truth I was very near despair. I was making this last effort at
the bidding of my brother, but I felt it to be a forlorn hope: in my
heart of hearts I knew I was down and out.

So I went straight to the point and told Clubfoot that I was beaten,
that he should have his paper. But there were difficulties about the
execution of both sides of the bargain. We had deceived one another.
What mutual guarantees could we exchange that would give each of us the
assurance of fair play?

Clubfoot settled this point in characteristic fashion. He protested his
good faith elaborately, but the gist of his remarks was that he held the
cards and that, consequently, it was he who must be trusted, whilst I
furnished the guarantee.

Whilst we were discussing this point the clock chimed the half-hour.

I switched the conversation to Monica. I was not at all concerned about
myself, I said, but I must feel sure in my mind that no ill should
befall her. To this Clubf