"A cryptogram is so often spoilt by the solution; it ceases to be mysterious directly you know what it means; and it generally means so little. With your sanction, Miss Gilbert, I think I will hang my coat over the back of a chair; I fancy it may dry more quickly off me than on. I imagine, Mr Arnecliffe, that your supplement merely amounts to the fact that you're the bottle man." "Practically; so you will perceive for yourself in what sense time, for me, is limited." "I'm dull, Mr Arnecliffe, dull. I don't see." "Then I will try to make myself more explicit. As I propose, presently, to hand myself over to the custody of the police, I am not likely to be able to do much more in the way of making friends." Dorothy made as if to speak; but the earl stopped her. "Pardon me, Miss Gilbert, but--may I conduct what promises to be this pleasant little discussion with Mr Arnecliffe? Why, sir, do you show this predilection for the society of the police? And as I am rather disposed to put myself, at the earliest possible moment, into some of the garments which I am hopeful Mr Vernon, or his son, keeps somewhere on the premises, will you be so good as to make your answer brief, and to the point?" "You know what is the charge against me; why should I run away?--why shouldn't I face it?" "You take something for granted; because, it so happens, that I don't know there is a charge against you. I know that there is a charge against Miss Gilbert; and also another, rather a droll one, against me." "Against you!" cried the girl. "What is the charge against you?" His lordship waved his hand airily. "My dear Miss Gilbert, the police, on occasion, are such humorists, it is not a matter of the slightest consequence. Rest easy in your mind; I am in danger neither of penal servitude nor of execution. What I wish to explain is, I am not aware that Mr Arnecliffe has been explicitly mentioned in the matter at all; therefore, as I have already remarked, it appears to me that he takes a good deal for granted." "Doesn't what you have yourself said more than justify the course I propose to pursue?" "How? Pray how? Do, sir, explain!" "You admit that a charge of complicity is being made against Miss Gilbert, of which she is entirely innocent." "I am not entirely innocent! I am not!" "'Ssh, Miss Gilbert, 'ssh! please permit the gentleman to continue; and we'll take the lady's innocence for granted, sir." "But that's just what you sha'n't do--that's just what I won't have--I know that I'm not innocent!" "Very good; since the young lady apparently prefers it, we will take her guilt for granted, Mr Arnecliffe. I don't suppose that a little trifle of that sort will seriously affect the line of reasoning you were about to follow. Pray, Miss Gilbert, suffer the gentleman to make his meaning clear--I do so want to get into a suit of somebody else's clothes. Now, Mr Arnecliffe, you were saying?"