Then I winced. His conjecture hurt me horribly.

"Oh, it's nothing to do with my incompetence," I interrupted.

"What is it, then?"

"My grandfather, two uncles, two nephews and a valet were drowned
a day or two ago in the Mediterranean," I answered, calmly.

I have since been struck by the crudity of this announcement. It
took my chief's breath away.

"I deeply sympathise with you," he said at last.

"Thank you," said I.

"A terrible catastrophe. No wonder it has upset you. Horrible!
Six living human beings! Three generations of men!"

"That's just it," said I. "Three generations of my family swept
away, leaving me now at the head of it."

At this moment the chief's wife came into the library with the
morning paper in her hand. On seeing me she rushed forward.

"Have you had bad news?"

"Yes. Is it in the paper?"

"I was coming to show my husband. The name is an uncommon one.