When Adam met Sir Nathaniel at breakfast, he was glad that he had taken
time to turn things over in his mind. The result had been that not only
was he familiar with the facts in all their bearings, but he had already
so far differentiated them that he was able to arrange them in his own
mind according to their values. Breakfast had been a silent function, so
it did not interfere in any way with the process of thought.

So soon as the door was closed, Sir Nathaniel began:

"I see, Adam, that something has occurred, and that you have much to tell
me."

"That is so, sir. I suppose I had better begin by telling you all I
know--all that has happened since I left you yesterday?"

Accordingly Adam gave him details of all that had happened during the
previous evening. He confined himself rigidly to the narration of
circumstances, taking care not to colour events by any comment of his
own, or any opinion of the meaning of things which he did not fully
understand. At first, Sir Nathaniel seemed disposed to ask questions,
but shortly gave this up when he recognised that the narration was
concise and self-explanatory. Thenceforth, he contented himself with
quick looks and glances, easily interpreted, or by some acquiescent
motions of his hands, when such could be convenient, to emphasise his
idea of the correctness of any inference. Until Adam ceased speaking,
having evidently come to an end of what he had to say with regard to this
section of his story, the elder man made no comment whatever. Even when
Adam took from his pocket Lady Arabella's letter, with the manifest
intention of reading it, he did not make any comment. Finally, when Adam
folded up the letter and put it, in its envelope, back in his pocket, as