But he said that wasn’t any matter; he was quite willing to let the trifle stand over till another time. I said I might not be in his neighbourhood again for a good while; but he said it was of no consequence, he could wait, and, moreover, I could have anything I wanted, any time I chose, and let the account run as long as I pleased. He said he hoped he wasn’t afraid to trust as rich a gentleman as I was, merely because I was of a merry disposition, and chose to play larks on the public in the matter of dress. By this time another customer was entering, and the landlord hinted to me to put the monster out of sight; then he bowed me all the way to the door, and I started straight for that house and those brothers, to correct the mistake which had been made before the police should hunt me up, and help me do it. I was pretty nervous, in fact pretty badly frightened, though, of course, I was no way in fault; but I knew men well enough to know that when they find they’ve given a tramp a million-pound bill when they thought it was a one-pounder, they are in a frantic rage against _him_ instead of quarrelling with their own near-sightedness, as they ought. As I approached the house my excitement began to abate, for all was quiet there, which made me feel pretty sure the blunder was not discovered yet. I rang. The same servant appeared. I asked for those gentlemen. ‘They are gone.’ This in the lofty, cold way of that fellow’s tribe. ‘Gone? Gone where?’ ‘On a journey.’ ‘But whereabouts?’ ‘To the Continent, I think.’ ‘The Continent?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Which way—by what route?’ ‘I can’t say, sir.’ ‘When will they be back?’ ‘In a month, they said.’ ‘A month! Oh, this is awful! Give me _some_ sort of idea of how to get a word to them. It’s of the last importance.’ ‘I can’t, indeed. I’ve no idea where they’ve gone, sir.’ ‘Then I must see some member of the family.’ ‘Family’s away too; been abroad months—in Egypt and India, I think.’ ‘Man, there’s been an immense mistake made. They’ll be back before night. Will you tell them I’ve been here, and that I will keep coming till it’s all made right, and they needn’t be afraid?’ ‘I’ll tell them, if they come back, but I am not expecting them. They said you would be here in an hour to make inquiries, but I must tell you it’s all right, they’ll be here on time and expect you.’ So I had to give it up and go away. What a riddle it all was! I was like to lose my mind. They would be here ‘on time.’ What could that mean? Oh, the letter would explain, maybe. I had forgotten the letter; I got it out and read it. This is what it said: