"Since I came back from Passy I have thought it prudent to set down in writing an exact account of everything that happened there under my own observation. Mr. Mountjoy has read my story, and thinks that I ought without delay to send a copy of it to you. I therefore send you one, in which I have left out all the names, and put in A, B, and C instead, by his directions. He says that you will have no difficulty in filling up the names. "I remain, my dear Lady, "Your ladyship's most obedient and humble servant, "FANNY MERE." This letter, with the document, was dispatched to Brussels that night. And this is the trouble which Iris brought upon herself by answering Fanny's advertisement. CHAPTER LX ON THE EVE OF A CHANGE IRIS returned to Louvain by way of Paris. She had to settle up with the doctor. He obeyed her summons and called upon her at the hotel. "Well, my lady," he began in his gross voice, rubbing his hands and laughing, "it has come off, after all; hasn't it?" "I do not desire, Dr. Vimpany, to discuss anything with you. We will proceed to settle what business we have together." "To think that your ladyship should actually fall in!" he replied. "Now I confess that this was to me the really difficult part of the job. It is quite easy to pretend that a man is dead, but not so easy to touch his money. I really do not see how we could have managed at all without your co-operation. Well, you've had no difficulty, of course?" "None at all." "I am to have half." "I am instructed to give you two thousand pounds. I have the money here for you." "I hope you consider that I deserve this share?" "I think, Dr. Vimpany, that whatever you get in the future or the present you will richly deserve. You have dragged a man down to your own level--" "And a woman too." "A woman too. Your reward will come, I doubt not." "If it always takes the form of bank-notes I care not how great the reward may be. You will doubtless, as a good Christian, expect your own reward--for him and for you?" "I have mine already," she replied sadly. "Now, Dr. Vimpany, let me pay you, and get rid of your company." He counted the money carefully and put it in the banker's bag in his coat-pocket. "Thank you, my lady. We have exchanged compliments enough over this job." "I hope--I pray--that we may never set eyes on you again." "I cannot say. People run up against each other in the strangest manner, especially people who've done shady things and have got to keep in the background." "Enough!--enough!" "The background of the world is a very odd place, I assure you. It is full of interesting people. The society has a piquancy which you will find, I hope, quite charming. You will be known by another name, of course?" "I shall not tell you by what name--" "Tut--tut! I shall soon find out. The background gets narrower when you fall into misery." "What do you mean?"