"Yes," said Denzil rapidly. "I rang the bell, as I fancied there was some fatal quarrel going on within. At once the light was put out, and as I could attract no one to the door, I suppose the man and woman must have fled." For a moment or so Berwin said nothing, but his grip on Lucian's arm relaxed, and he moved forward a few steps. "You must be mistaken, Mr. Denzil," said he in altered tones, "there can be no person in my house. I locked the door before I went out, and I have been absent at least two hours." "Then I must be mad, or dreaming!" retorted Lucian, with heat. "We can soon prove if you are either of the two, sir. Come with me and examine the house for yourself." "Pardon me," said Denzil, drawing back, "it is none of my business. But I warn you, Mr. Berwin, that others are more curious than I am. Several times people have been known to be in your house while you were absent, and your mode of life, secretive and strange, does not commend itself to the householders in this neighbourhood. If you persist in giving rise to gossip and scandal, some busybody may bring the police on the scene." "The police!" echoed the old man, now greatly alarmed, as would appear from his shaking voice. "No! no! That will never do! My house is my castle! The police dare not break into it! I am a peaceful and very unfortunate gentleman, who wishes to live quietly. All this talk of people being in my house is nonsense!" "Yet you seemed afraid when I told you of the shadows," said Lucian pointedly. "Afraid! I am afraid of nothing!" "Not even of those who are after you?" hinted Denzil, recalling the conversation of the previous occasion. Berwin gave a kind of eldritch shriek and stepped back a pace, as though to place himself on his guard. "What--what do you know about such--such things?" he panted. "Only so much as you hinted at when I last saw you." "Yes, yes! I was not myself on that night. The wine was in and the wit was out." "The truth also, it would seem," said Lucian drily, "judging by your agitation then and now." "I am an unfortunate gentleman," whimpered Berwin tremulously. "If you will excuse me, sir, I shall leave you," said Lucian ceremoniously. "It seems to be my fate to hold midnight conversations with you in the cold, but I think this one had better be cut short." "One moment," Mr. Berwin exclaimed. "You have been good enough to place me on my guard as to the talk my quiet course of life is causing. Pray add to your kindness by coming with me to my house and exploring it from attic to basement. You will then see that there are no grounds for scandal, and that the shadows you fancy you saw on the blind are not those of real people." "They can't be those of ghosts, at all events," replied Lucian, "as I never heard, to my knowledge, that spirits could cast shadows." "Well, come and see for yourself that the house is empty."