The poor man promised, with tears in his eyes, that he would obey my injunctions; and with a calm face, but a sickening heart, I turned away from the house. I knew not where to direct my wanderings; fortunately, I recollected that I should, in all probability, be among the first witnesses summoned on Glanville’s examination, and that, perhaps, by the time I reached home, I might already receive an intimation to that effect; accordingly, I retraced my steps, and, on re-entering my hotel, was told by the waiter, with a mysterious air, that a gentleman was waiting to see me. Seated by the window in my room, and wiping his forehead with a red silk pocket-handkerchief, was a short, thickset man, with a fiery and rugose complexion, not altogether unlike the aspect of a mulberry; from underneath a pair of shaggy brows, peeped two singularly small eyes, which made ample amends by their fire, for their deficiency in size--they were black, brisk, and somewhat fierce in their expression; a nose, of that shape, vulgarly termed bottle, formed the “arch sublime,” the bridge, the twilight as it were, between the purple sun-set of one cheek, and the glowing sun-rise of the other. His mouth was small, and drawn up on each corner, like a purse--there was something sour and crabbed about it; if it was like a purse, it was the purse of a miser: a fair round chin had not been condemned to single blessedness--on the contrary, it was like a farmer’s pillion, and carried double; on either side of a very low forehead, hedged round by closely mowed bristles, of a dingy black, were two enormous ears, of the same intensely rubicund colour as that inflamed pendant of flesh which adorns the throat of an enraged turkey-cock; ears so large, and so red, I never beheld before--they were something preposterous. This enchanting figure, which was attired in a sober suit of leaden black, relieved by a long, gold watch-chain, and a plentiful decoration of seals, rose at my entrance, with a solemn grunt, and a still more solemn bow. I shut the door carefully, and asked him his business:--as I had foreseen, it was a request from the magistrate at--, to attend a private examination on the ensuing day. “Sad thing, Sir, sad thing,” said Mr.--, “it would be quite shocking to hang a gentleman of Sir Reginald Glanville’s quality--so distinguished an orator too; sad thing, Sir,--very sad thing.” “Oh!” said I, quietly, “there is not a doubt as to Sir Reginald’s innocence of the crime laid to him; and, probably, Mr.--, I may call in your assistance to-morrow, to ascertain the real murderers--I think I am possessed of some clue.”