"It might be interesting, hilarious, in fact, if it were not for the lady
in the case...."




VII


Something was pressing on my shoulder, thrusting me slowly into
consciousness. Half awake, I wrenched myself free, snatching for my sword
as I did so. It was a chill and cloudy morning, and Brutus was standing
by my bed, holding a bowl of chocolate between a thumb and forefinger,
that made the piece of china look as delicately fragile as a flower.

"Eleven o'clock," he said. "You sleep late."

I looked at him blankly, still trying to shake off the drowsiness that
crowded upon me. It seemed only a few minutes back that he had lighted
me to that room. He must have detected a shade of suspicion in the look
I gave him.

"Too much wine," said Brutus quickly.

But when he spoke, I knew it was not wine that made me sleep the whole
night through. He thrust the bowl he was holding nearer to me.

"And now you poison me," I remarked, but he shook his head in
emphatic negation.