II + 

George Green mounted the stairs with his usual buoyant step. As he did so he wondered what had happened to upset the old josserтБатАФby that term meaning his employer. Very queer the old buffer had looked. + 

тАЬThe door at the top of the stairs,тАЭ Mr.┬аBleibner had said. + 

George Green rapped on it sharply with his knuckles and waited. A voice called тАЬCome inтАЭ and he obeyed. + 

There were two people in the roomтБатАФthe lady he had driven home yesterday (whom he thought of in his own mind as a tip-topper) and a big, rather fat man with a very yellow face and projecting ears. His face seemed vaguely familiar to the chauffeur. For a moment he stood there while they both stared at him. He thought: тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter with everybody this evening?тАЭ + 

He said, тАЬYes, sir?тАЭ in a respectful voice to the yellow gentleman. He went on: тАЬMr.┬аBleibner told me to come up.тАЭ + 

The yellow gentleman seemed to recover himself. + 

тАЬYes, yes,тАЭ he said. тАЬThatтАЩs right. Sit downтБатАФerтБатАФGreen. ThatтАЩs your name, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, sir. George Green.тАЭ + 

He sat down, respectfully, in the chair indicated. The yellow gentleman handed him a cigarette case and said, тАЬHelp yourself.тАЭ And all the time, his eyes, small piercing eyes, never left GreenтАЩs face. That intent burning gaze made the chauffeur uneasy. What was up with everyone tonight? + 

тАЬI wanted to ask you a few questions. To begin with, have you ever seen me before?тАЭ + 

Green shook his head. + 

тАЬNo, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬSure?тАЭ persisted the other. + 

A faint trace of uncertainty crept into GreenтАЩs voice. + 

тАЬIтБатАФI donтАЩt think so,тАЭ he said doubtfully. + 

тАЬMy name is Sebastian Levinne.тАЭ + 

The chauffeurтАЩs face cleared. + 

тАЬOf course, sir, IтАЩve seen your picture in the papers. I thought it seemed familiar somehow.тАЭ + 

There was a pause, and then Sebastian Levinne asked casually: + 

тАЬHave you ever heard the name of Vernon Deyre?тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon Deyre,тАЭ Green repeated the name thoughtfully. He frowned perplexedly. тАЬThe name seems somehow familiar to me, sir, but I canтАЩt quite place it.тАЭ He paused, the frown deepening. тАЬI think IтАЩve heard it.тАЭ And then added, тАЬThe gentlemanтАЩs dead, isnтАЩt he?тАЭ + 

тАЬSo thatтАЩs your impression, is it? That the gentleman is dead.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, sir, and a goodтБатАФтАЭ + 

He stopped suddenly, crimsoning. + 

тАЬGo on,тАЭ said Levinne. тАЬWhat were you going to say?тАЭ He added shrewdly, perceiving where the trouble lay, тАЬYou need not mince your words. Mr.┬аDeyre was no relation of mine.тАЭ + 

The chauffeur accepted the implication. + 

тАЬI was going to say a good job, tooтБатАФbut I donтАЩt know that I ought to say it, since I canтАЩt remember anything about him. But IтАЩve got a kind of impression thatтБатАФwell, that he was best out of the way, so to speak. Made rather a mess of things, hadnтАЩt he?тАЭ + 

тАЬYou knew him?тАЭ + 

The frown deepened in an agony of attempted recollection. + 

тАЬIтАЩm sorry, sir,тАЭ the chauffeur apologized. тАЬSince the war things seemed to have got a bit mixed up. I canтАЩt always recollect things clearly. I donтАЩt know where I came across Mr.┬аDeyre, and why I disliked him, but I do know that IтАЩm thankful to hear that heтАЩs dead. He was no goodтБатАФyou can take my word for that.тАЭ + 

There was a silence, only broken by something like a smothered sob from the other occupant of the room. Levinne turned to her. + 

тАЬTelephone to the theatre, Jane,тАЭ he said. тАЬYou canтАЩt appear tonight.тАЭ + 

She nodded and left the room. Levinne looked after her and then said abruptly: + 

тАЬYouтАЩve seen Miss Harding before?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, sir. I drove her home today.тАЭ + 

Levinne sighed. Green looked at him inquiringly. + 

тАЬIsтБатАФis that all, sir? IтАЩm sorry to have been so little use. I know IтАЩve been a bitтБатАФwell, queer since the war. My own fault. Perhaps Mr.┬аBleibner told youтБатАФIтБатАФI didnтАЩt do my duty as I should have done.тАЭ + 

His face flushed but he brought out the words resolutely. Had the old josser told them or not? Better to say that anyway. At the same time, a pang of shame pierced him keenly. He was a deserter, a man who had run away! A rotten business. + 

Jane Harding came back into the room and resumed her place behind the table. She looked paler than when she had gone out, Green thought. Curious eyes she hadтБатАФso deep and tragic. He wondered what she was thinking about. Perhaps she had been engaged to this Mr.┬аDeyre. No, Mr.┬аLevinne wouldnтАЩt have urged him to speak out if that had been the case. It was probably all to do with money. A will, or something like that. + 

Mr.┬аLevinne began questioning him again. He made no reference to the last sentence. + 

тАЬYour father was killed in the Boer War, I believe?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou remember him?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! yes, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat did he look like?тАЭ + 

Green smiled. The memory was pleasant to him. + 

тАЬA burly sort of chap. Mutton chop whiskers. Very bright blue eyes. I remember him as well as anything singing in the choir. Baritone voice he had.тАЭ + 

He smiled happily. + 

тАЬAnd he was killed in the Boer War?тАЭ + 

A sudden look of doubt crept into GreenтАЩs face. He seemed worriedтБатАФdistressed. His eyes looked pathetically across the table like a dog at fault. + 

тАЬItтАЩs queer,тАЭ he said. тАЬI never thought of that. HeтАЩd be too old. HeтБатАФand yet IтАЩd swearтБатАФIтАЩm sureтБатАФтАЭ + 

The look of distress in his eyes was so acute that the other said, тАЬNever mind,тАЭ and went on: тАЬAre you married, Green?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, sir.тАЭ + 

The answer came with prompt assurance. + 

тАЬYou seem very certain about that,тАЭ said Mr.┬аLevinne smiling. + 

тАЬI am, sir. It leads to nothing but troubleтБатАФmixing yourself up with women.тАЭ He stopped abruptly and said to Jane: тАЬI beg your pardon.тАЭ + 

She smiled faintly and said: тАЬIt doesnтАЩt matter.тАЭ + 

There was a pause. Levinne turned to her and said something so quickly that Green could not catch it. It sounded like: + 

тАЬExtraordinary likeness to Sydney Bent. Never imagined it was there.тАЭ + 

Then they both stared at him again. + 

And suddenly he was afraidтБатАФdefinitely childishly afraidтБатАФin the same way that he remembered being afraid of the dark when he was a baby. There was something upтБатАФthat was how he put it to himselfтБатАФand these two knew it. Something about him. + 

He leant forwardтБатАФacutely apprehensive. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter?тАЭ he said sharply. тАЬThereтАЩs somethingтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

They didnтАЩt deny itтБатАФjust continued to look at him. + 

And his terror grew. Why couldnтАЩt they tell a chap? They knew something that he didnтАЩt. Something dreadful. He said again, and this time his voice was high and shrill: + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter?тАЭ + 

The lady got upтБатАФhe noticed in the background of his mind as it were how splendidly she moved. She was like a statue heтАЩd seen somewhere. She came round the table and laid a hand on his shoulder. She said comfortingly and reassuringly: тАЬItтАЩs all right. You mustnтАЩt be frightened.тАЭ + 

But GreenтАЩs eyes continued to question Levinne. This man knewтБатАФthis man was going to tell him. What was this horrible thing that they knew and he didnтАЩt? + 

тАЬVery odd things have happened in this war,тАЭ began Levinne. тАЬPeople have sometimes forgotten their own names.тАЭ + 

He paused significantly, but the significance was lost on Green. He said with a momentary return to cheerfulness: + 

тАЬIтАЩm not as bad as that. IтАЩve never forgotten my name.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut you have.тАЭ He stopped, then went on: тАЬYour real name is Vernon Deyre.тАЭ + 

The announcement ought to have been dramatic, but it wasnтАЩt. The words seemed to Green simply silly. He looked amused. + 

тАЬIтАЩm Mr.┬аVernon Deyre? You mean IтАЩm his double or something?тАЭ + 

тАЬI mean you are him.тАЭ + 

Green laughed frankly. + 

тАЬI canтАЩt monkey about with that stuff, sir. Not even if it means a title or a fortune! Whatever the resemblance, IтАЩd be bound to be found out.тАЭ + 

Sebastian Levinne leant forward over the table and rapped out each word separately with emphasis: + 

тАЬYouтБатАФareтБатАФVernonтБатАФDeyre.тАЭ + 

Green stared. The emphasis impressed him. + 

тАЬYouтАЩre kidding me?тАЭ + 

Levinne slowly shook his head. Green turned suddenly to the woman who stood beside him. Her eyes, very grave and absolutely assured, met his. She said very quietly: + 

тАЬYou are Vernon Deyre. We both know it.тАЭ + 

There was dead silence in the room. To Green, it seemed as though the whole world was spinning round. It was like a fairy story, fantastic and impossible. And yet something about these two compelled credence. He said uncertainly: + 

тАЬButтБатАФbut things donтАЩt happen like that. You couldnтАЩt forget your own name!тАЭ + 

тАЬEvidentlyтБатАФsince you have done so.тАЭ + 

тАЬButтБатАФbut, look here, sirтБатАФI know IтАЩm George Green. IтБатАФwell, I just know it!тАЭ + 

He looked at them triumphantly, but slowly and remorselessly Sebastian Levinne shook his head. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know how thatтАЩs come about,тАЭ he said. тАЬA doctor would probably be able to tell you. But I do know thisтБатАФthat you are my friend, Vernon Deyre. There is no possible doubt of that.тАЭ + 

тАЬButтБатАФbut, if thatтАЩs true, I ought to know it.тАЭ + 

He felt bewildered, horribly uncertain. A strange sickening world where you couldnтАЩt be sure of anything. These were kindly sane people, he trusted them. What they said must be soтБатАФand yet something in him refused to be convinced. They were sorry for himтБатАФhe felt that. And that frightened him. There was something more yetтБатАФsomething that he hadnтАЩt been told. + 

тАЬWho is he?тАЭ he said sharply. тАЬThis Vernon Deyre, I mean.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou come from this part of the world. You were born and spent most of your childhood at a place called Abbots PuissantsтБатАФтАЭ + 

Green interrupted him in astonishment. + 

тАЬAbbots Puissants? Why, I drove Mr.┬аBleibner there yesterday. And you say itтАЩs my old home, and I never recognized it!тАЭ + 

He felt suddenly buoyed up and scornful. The whole thing was a pack of lies! Of course it was! He had known it all the time. These people were honest, but they were mistaken. He felt relievedтБатАФhappier. + 

тАЬAfter that you went to live near Birmingham,тАЭ continued Levinne. тАЬYou went to school at Eton and from there you went on to Cambridge. After that you went to London and studied music. You composed an opera.тАЭ + 

Green laughed outright. + 

тАЬThere youтАЩre quite wrong, sir. Why, I donтАЩt know one note of music from another.тАЭ + 

тАЬThe war broke out. You obtained a commission in the yeomanry. You were marriedтБатАФтАЭ he paused, but Green gave no signтБатАФтАЬand went out to France. In the spring of the following year you were reported Killed in Action.тАЭ + 

Green stared at him incredulously. What sort of a rigmarole was this? He couldnтАЩt remember a thing about any of it. + 

тАЬThere must be some mistake,тАЭ he said confidently. тАЬMr.┬аDeyre must have been what they call my тАШdouble.тАЩтАКтАЭ + 

тАЬThere is no mistake, Vernon,тАЭ said Jane Harding. + 

Green looked from her to Sebastian. The confident intimacy of her tone had done more to convince him than anything else. He thought: тАЬThis is awful. A nightmare. Such things canтАЩt happen.тАЭ He began to shake all over, unable to stop. + 

Levinne got up, mixed him a stiff drink from materials that stood on a tray in the corner and brought it back to him. + 

тАЬSwallow this,тАЭ he said. тАЬAnd youтАЩll feel better. ItтАЩs been a shock.тАЭ + 

Green gulped down the draught. It steadied him. The trembling ceased. + 

тАЬBefore God, sir,тАЭ he said. тАЬIs this true?тАЭ + 

тАЬBefore God, it is,тАЭ said Sebastian. + 

He brought a chair forward, sat down close by his friend. + 

тАЬVernon, dear old chapтБатАФdonтАЩt you remember me at all?тАЭ + 

Green stared at himтБатАФan anguished stare. Something seemed to stir ever so faintly. How it hurt, this trying to remember! There was somethingтБатАФwhat was it? He said doubtfully: + 

тАЬYouтБатАФyouтАЩve grown up.тАЭ He stretched out a hand and touched SebastianтАЩs ear. тАЬI seem to rememberтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬHe remembers your ears, Sebastian,тАЭ cried Jane and going over to the mantelpiece she laid her head down upon it and began to laugh. + 

тАЬStop it, Jane.тАЭ Sebastian rose, poured out another drink and took it to her. тАЬSome medicine for you.тАЭ + 

She drank it, handed the glass back to him, smiled faintly and said: тАЬIтАЩm sorry. I wonтАЩt do it again.тАЭ + 

Green was going on with his discoveries. + 

тАЬYouтАЩreтБатАФyouтАЩre not a brother, are you? No, you lived next door. ThatтАЩs itтБатАФyou lived next doorтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs right, old chap.тАЭ Sebastian patted him on the shoulder. тАЬDonтАЩt worry to thinkтБатАФitтАЩll come back soon. Take it easy.тАЭ + 

Green looked at Jane. He said timidly and politely: + 

тАЬWere youтБатАФare youтБатАФmy sister? I seem to remember something about a sister.тАЭ + 

Jane shook her head, unable to speak. Green flushed. + 

тАЬIтАЩm sorry. I shouldnтАЩt haveтБатАФтАЭ + 

Sebastian interrupted. + 

тАЬYou didnтАЩt have a sister. There was a cousin who lived with you. Her name was Josephine. We called her Joe.тАЭ + 

Green pondered. + 

тАЬJosephineтБатАФJoe. Yes, I seem to remember something about that.тАЭ He paused and then reiterated pathetically: тАЬAre you sure my name isnтАЩt Green?тАЭ + 

тАЬQuite sure. Do you still feel it is?тАЭ + 

тАЬYesтБатАКтБатАж And you say I make up musicтБатАФmusic of my own? Highbrow stuffтБатАФnot ragtime?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt all seemsтБатАФwell, mad. Just thatтБатАФmad!тАЭ + 

тАЬYou mustnтАЩt worry,тАЭ said Jane gently. тАЬI dare say we have been wrong to tell you all this the way we have.тАЭ + 

Green looked from one to the other of them. He felt dazed. + 

тАЬWhat am I to do?тАЭ he asked helplessly. + 

Sebastian gave an answer with decision. + 

тАЬYou must stay here with us. YouтАЩve had a great shock, you know. IтАЩll go and square things with old Bleibner. HeтАЩs a very decent chap and heтАЩll understand.тАЭ + 

тАЬI shouldnтАЩt like to put him out in any way. HeтАЩs been a thundering good boss to me.тАЭ + 

тАЬHeтАЩll understand. IтАЩve already told him something.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat about the car? I donтАЩt like to think of another chap driving that car. SheтАЩs running now as sweetlyтБатАФтАЭ + 

He was once again the chauffeur, intent on his charge. + 

тАЬI know. I know.тАЭ Sebastian was impatient. тАЬBut the great thing, my dear fellow, is to get you right as soon as possible. We want to get a first-class doctor on to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs a doctor got to do with it?тАЭ Green was slightly hostile. тАЬIтАЩm perfectly fit.тАЭ + 

тАЬPerhaps, a doctor ought to see you all the same. Not hereтБатАФin London. We donтАЩt want any talk down here.тАЭ + 

Something in the tone of the speakerтАЩs voice attracted GreenтАЩs attention. The flush came over his face. + 

тАЬYou mean the deserting businessтБатАКтБатАжтАК?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, no. To tell the truth, I canтАЩt get the hang of that. I mean something quite different.тАЭ + 

Green looked at him inquiringly. + 

Sebastian thought: тАЬWell, I suppose heтАЩs got to know sometime.тАЭ Aloud he said: + 

тАЬYou see, thinking you were dead, your wife hasтБатАФwellтБатАФmarried again.тАЭ + 

He was a little afraid of the effect of those words. But Green seemed to see the matter in a humorous light. + 

тАЬThat is a bit awkward,тАЭ he said with a grin. + 

тАЬIt doesnтАЩt upset you in any way?тАЭ + 

тАЬYou canтАЩt be upset by a thing you donтАЩt remember.тАЭ He paused, as though really considering the matter for the first time. тАЬWas Mr.┬аDeyreтБатАФI mean, was IтБатАФfond of her?тАЭ + 

тАЬWellтБатАФyes.тАЭ + 

But again the grin came over GreenтАЩs face. + 

тАЬAnd I to be so positive I wasnтАЩt married. All the sameтАЭтБатАФhis face changedтБатАФтАЬitтАЩs rather frighteningтБатАФall this!тАЭ + 

He looked suddenly at Jane, as though seeking assurance. + 

тАЬDear Vernon,тАЭ she said, тАЬit will be all right.тАЭ + 

She paused, and then said in a quiet casual tone: + 

тАЬYou drove Mr.┬аBleibner over to Abbots Puissants, you say. Did youтБатАФdid you see anyone there? Any of the people of the house?тАЭ + 

тАЬI saw Mr.┬аChetwyndтБатАФand I saw a lady in the sunk gardens. I took her to be Mrs.┬аChetwynd, fair-haired and good-looking.тАЭ + 

тАЬDidтБатАФdid she see you?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes. SeemedтБатАФwell, scared. Went dead-white and bolted like a rabbit.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, God,тАЭ said Jane, and bit off the exclamation almost before it was uttered. + 

Green was cogitating quietly over the matter. + 

тАЬPerhaps she thought she knew me,тАЭ he said. тАЬShe must have been one of them who knew himтБатАФmeтБатАФin the old days, and it gave her a turn. Yes, that must have been it.тАЭ + 

He was quite happy with his solution. + 

Suddenly he asked: тАЬHad my mother got red hair?тАЭ + 

Jane nodded. + 

тАЬThen that was it.тАЭ He looked up apologetically. тАЬSorry. I was just thinking of something.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩll go and see Bleibner now,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬJane will look after you.тАЭ + 

He left the room. Green leant forward in his chair, his head held between his hands. He felt acutely uncomfortable and miserableтБатАФespecially with Jane. Clearly he ought to know herтБатАФand he didnтАЩt. She had said тАЬDear VernonтАЭ just now. It was terribly awkward when people knew you and you felt they were strangers. If he spoke to her he supposed he ought to call her JaneтБатАФbut he couldnтАЩt. She was a stranger. Still he supposed heтАЩd have to get used to it. TheyтАЩd have to be Sebastian and George and Jane togetherтБатАФno, not GeorgeтБатАФVernon. Silly sort of name, Vernon. Probably heтАЩd been a silly sort of chap. + 

тАЬI mean,тАЭ he thought, trying desperately to force the realization upon himself, тАЬI must have been a silly sort of chap.тАЭ + 

He felt horribly lonelyтБатАФcut off from reality. He looked up to find Jane watching him, and the pity and understanding in her eyes made him feel a shade less forlorn. + 

тАЬItтАЩs rather terrible just at first, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ she said. + 

He said politely: тАЬIt is rather difficult. You donтАЩtтБатАФyou donтАЩt know where you are with things.тАЭ + 

тАЬI understand.тАЭ + 

She said no moreтБатАФjust sat there quietly beside him. His head jerked forward. He began to doze. In reality he only slept for a few minutes, but it seemed to him hours. Jane had turned all the lamps out but one. He woke with a start. She said quickly: + 

тАЬItтАЩs all right.тАЭ + 

He stared at her, his breath coming in gasps. He was still in the nightmare then, he hadnтАЩt wakened. And there was something worse to comeтБатАФsomething he didnтАЩt know yet. He was sure of it. That was why they all looked at him so pityingly. + 

Jane got up suddenly. Wildly, he cried out: + 

тАЬStay with me. Oh! please stay with me.тАЭ + 

He couldnтАЩt understand why her face should suddenly twist with pain. What was there in what he had said to make her look like that? He said again: тАЬDonтАЩt leave me. Stay with me.тАЭ + 

She sat down again beside him and took his hand in hers. She said very gently: + 

тАЬI wonтАЩt go away.тАЭ + 

He felt soothed, reassured. After a minute or two he dozed again. He woke quietly this time. The room was as before and his hand was still in JaneтАЩs. He spoke diffidently: + 

тАЬYouтБатАФyou arenтАЩt my sister? You wereтБатАФyou are, I meanтБатАФa friend of mine?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

тАЬA great friend?тАЭ + 

тАЬA great friend.тАЭ + 

He paused. Yet the conviction in his mind was growing stronger and stronger. He blurted out suddenly: + 

тАЬYouтАЩreтБатАФyouтАЩre my wife, arenтАЩt you?тАЭ + 

He was sure of it. + 

She drew her hand away. He couldnтАЩt understand the look in her face. It frightened him. She got up. + 

тАЬNo,тАЭ she said. тАЬIтАЩm not your wife.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! IтАЩm sorry. I thoughtтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs all right.тАЭ + 

And at that minute Sebastian came back. His eyes went to Jane. She said, with a little twisted smile: + 

тАЬIтАЩm glad youтАЩve come.тБатАКтБатАж IтАЩmтБатАФglad youтАЩve comeтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 