I + 

Two days later Sebastian came to Abbots Puissants. The butler was not sure that Mrs.┬аChetwynd could see him. She was lying down. + 

Sebastian gave his name and said he was sure Mrs.┬аChetwynd would see him. He was shown into the drawing-room to wait. The room seemed very empty and silent but unusually luxuriousтБатАФvery different from what it had looked in his childish days. He thought to himself, тАЬIt was a real house then,тАЭ and wondered what exactly he meant by that. He got it presently. Now it suggested, very faintly, a museum. Everything was beautifully arranged, and harmonized perfectly. Every piece that was not perfect had been replaced by one that was. All the carpets and covers and hangings were new. + 

тАЬAnd they must have cost a pretty penny,тАЭ thought Sebastian appreciatively, and priced them with a fair degree of accuracy. He always knew the cost of things. + 

He was interrupted in this salutary exercise by the door opening. Nell came in, a pink colour in her cheeks and her hand outstretched. + 

тАЬSebastian! What a surprise! I thought you were too busy ever to leave London except at a weekendтБатАФand not often then!тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩve lost just twenty thousand pounds in the last two days,тАЭ said Sebastian gruffly as he took her hand. тАЬSimply from gadding about and letting things go anyhow. How are you, Nell?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! IтАЩm feeling splendid.тАЭ + 

She didnтАЩt look very splendid, though, he thought, now that the flush of surprise had died away. Besides, hadnтАЩt the butler said she was lying down, not feeling well? He fancied that her face looked a little strained and haggard. + 

She went on: тАЬSit down, Sebastian. You look as though you were on the point of going off to catch a train. George is awayтБатАФin Spain. He had to go on business. HeтАЩll be away a week at least.тАЭ + 

тАЬWill he?тАЭ + 

That was a good thing anyway. A damned awkward business. Nell had simply no ideaтБатАКтБатАж + 

тАЬYouтАЩre very glum, Sebastian. Is anything the matter?тАЭ + 

She asked the question quite lightly, but he seized upon it eagerly. It was the opening he needed. + 

тАЬYes, Nell,тАЭ he said gravely. тАЬAs a matter of fact there is.тАЭ + 

He heard her draw in her breath with a sudden catch. Her eyes looked watchful. + 

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ she said. + 

Her voice sounded differentтБатАФhard and suspicious. + 

тАЬIтАЩm afraid what IтАЩm going to say will be a great shock to you. ItтАЩs about Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat about Vernon?тАЭ + 

Sebastian waited a minute. Then he said: тАЬVernonтБатАФis alive, Nell.тАЭ + 

тАЬAlive?тАЭ she whispered. Her hand crept up to her heart. + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

She didnтАЩt do any of the things he expected her to doтБатАФdidnтАЩt faint, or cry out, or ask eager questions. She just stared straight ahead of her. And a sudden quick suspicion came into his shrewd Jewish mind. + 

тАЬYou knew it?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, no.тАЭ + 

тАЬI thought perhaps you saw him, the other day, when he came here?тАЭ + 

тАЬThen it was Vernon?тАЭ + 

It broke from her like a cry. Sebastian nodded his head. It was as he had thought and said to Jane. She had not trusted her eyes. + 

тАЬWhat did you thinkтБатАФthat it was a very close resemblance?тАЭ + 

тАЬYesтБатАФyes, thatтАЩs what I thought. How could I think it was Vernon? He looked at me and didnтАЩt know me.тАЭ + 

тАЬHeтАЩs lost his memory, Nell.тАЭ + 

тАЬLost his memory?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

He told her the story, giving the details as carefully as possible. She listened but paid less attention than he expected. When he had finished she said: тАЬYes, but whatтАЩs to be done about it all? Will he get it back? What are we to do?тАЭ + 

He explained that Vernon was having treatment from a specialist. Already, under hypnosis, part of the lost memory had returned. The whole process would not be long delayed. He did not enter into the technical details, judging rightly that these would have no interest for her. + 

тАЬAnd then heтАЩll knowтБатАФeverything?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

She shrank back in her chair. He felt a sudden rush of pity. + 

тАЬHe canтАЩt blame you, Nell. You didnтАЩt knowтБатАФnobody could know. The report of his death was absolutely definite. ItтАЩs an almost unique case. IтАЩve heard of one other. In most cases, of course, a report of death was contradicted almost immediately. Vernon loves you enough to understand and forgive.тАЭ + 

She said nothing but she put up both hands to cover her face. + 

тАЬWe thinkтБатАФif you agreeтБатАФthat everything had better be kept quiet for the present. YouтАЩll tell Chetwynd, of course. And you and he and Vernon canтБатАФwell, thrash it out together.тАЭ + 

тАЬDonтАЩt! DonтАЩt! DonтАЩt go into details. Just letтАЩs leave it for the presentтБатАФtill IтАЩve seen Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you want to see him at once? Will you come up to town with me?тАЭ + 

тАЬNoтБатАФI canтАЩt do that. Let him come hereтБатАФto see me. Nobody will recognize him. The servants are all new.тАЭ + 

Sebastian said slowly: тАЬVery wellтБатАКтБатАж IтАЩll tell him.тАЭ + 

Nell got up. + 

тАЬIтБатАФIтБатАФyou must go away now, Sebastian. I canтАЩt bear any more. I canтАЩt indeed. ItтАЩs all so dreadful. And only two days ago I was so happy and peacefulтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬBut Nell, surely to have Vernon back againтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬOh! yes, I didnтАЩt mean that. You donтАЩt understand. ThatтАЩs wonderful, of course. Oh! do go, Sebastian. ItтАЩs awful of me turning you out like this, but I canтАЩt bear any more. You must go.тАЭ + 

Sebastian went. On the way back to town he wondered a good deal. + 