"How can I join you?" asked Syme, with a sort of passion.

"I know for a fact that there is a vacancy at the moment," said the
policeman, "as I have the honour to be somewhat in the confidence
of the chief of whom I have spoken. You should really come and see
him. Or rather, I should not say see him, nobody ever sees him; but
you can talk to him if you like."

"Telephone?" inquired Syme, with interest.

"No," said the policeman placidly, "he has a fancy for always
sitting in a pitch-dark room. He says it makes his thoughts
brighter. Do come along."

Somewhat dazed and considerably excited, Syme allowed himself to be
led to a side-door in the long row of buildings of Scotland Yard.
Almost before he knew what he was doing, he had been passed through
the hands of about four intermediate officials, and was suddenly
shown into a room, the abrupt blackness of which startled him like
a blaze of light. It was not the ordinary darkness, in which forms
can be faintly traced; it was like going suddenly stone-blind.

"Are you the new recruit?" asked a heavy voice.

And in some strange way, though there was not the shadow of a shape
in the gloom, Syme knew two things: first, that it came from a man
of massive stature; and second, that the man had his back to him.

"Are you the new recruit?" said the invisible chief, who seemed to
have heard all about it. "All right. You are engaged."