Lady Montbarry; and (thirdly) the one line of anonymous writing
which had accompanied the extraordinary gift of a thousand pounds
to Ferrari's wife.

Well known, at a later period, as the lawyer who acted for Lady Lydiard,
in the case of theft, generally described as the case of 'My Lady's Money,'
Mr. Troy was not only a man of learning and experience in his profession--
he was also a man who had seen something of society at home and abroad.
He possessed a keen eye for character, a quaint humour, and a kindly
nature which had not been deteriorated even by a lawyer's professional
experience of mankind. With all these personal advantages, it is
a question, nevertheless, whether he was the fittest adviser whom
Agnes could have chosen under the circumstances. Little Mrs. Ferrari,
with many domestic merits, was an essentially commonplace woman.
Mr. Troy was the last person living who was likely to attract
her sympathies--he was the exact opposite of a commonplace man.

'She looks very ill, poor thing!' In these words the lawyer
opened the business of the evening, referring to Mrs. Ferrari
as unceremoniously as if she had been out of the room.

'She has suffered a terrible shock,' Agnes answered.

Mr. Troy turned to Mrs. Ferrari, and looked at her again,
with the interest due to the victim of a shock. He drummed absently
with his fingers on the table. At last he spoke to her.

'My good lady, you don't really believe that your husband is dead?'

Mrs. Ferrari put her handkerchief to her eyes. The word 'dead' was