"
There was more conviction in this sally than in that of our noble
host; but this I attributed to the trained and skilled dissimulation
of the bar. Lord Thornaby, however, was not to be amused by the
elaboration of his own idea, and it was with some asperity that he
called upon the butler, now solemnly superintending the removal of
the cloth.
"Leggett! Just send up-stairs to see if all. the doors are open and
the rooms in proper order. That's an awful idea of yours, Kingsmill,
or of mine!" added my lord, recovering the courtesy of his order by
an effort that I could follow. "We should look fools. I don't know
which of us it was, by the way, who seduced the rest from the main
stream of blood into this burglarious backwater. Are you familiar
with De Quincey's masterpiece on 'Murder as a Fine Art,' Mr. Raffles?"
"I believe I once read it," replied Raffles doubtfully.
"You must read it again," pursued the earl. "It is the last word
on a great subject; all. we can hope to add is some baleful
illustration or bloodstained footnote, not unworthy of De Quincey's
text.
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