'And mine?' said Lawford, gazing stonily across the candlelight.

Herbert, from a head slightly stooping, gazed back in an almost
birdlike fashion across the room at his visitor.

'Sabathier's,' he said.

'Sabathier's!'

'A really curious resemblance. Of course, I am speaking only from
memory; and perhaps it's not quite so vivid in this light; but
still astonishingly clear.'

Lawford sat drawn up, staring at his companion's face in an
intense and helpless silence. His mouth opened but no words came.

'Of course,' began Herbert again, 'I don't say there's anything
in it--except the--the mere coincidence,' he paused and
glanced out of the open casement beside him. 'But there's just
one obvious question. Do you happen to know of any strain of
French blood in your family?'

Lawford shut his eyes, even memory seemed to be forsaking him at
last. 'No,' he said, after a long pause, 'there's a little
Dutch, I think, on my mother's side, but no French.'

'No Sabathier, then?' said Herbert, smiling. 'And then there's
another question--this change; is it really as complete as
you suppose? Has it--please just warn me off if I am in the least