15
Miss O’Hagan Explains
I spent the evening of that day at home, shuffling the loose bits of paper on which I jotted down my occasional ideas about the Mummy, and looking through the rather more coherent notes in the book I had marked “M.”
I made a note about the President, and decided not to discuss that chat with anybody. Indeed, it was then that I definitely resolved to be very chary of repeating to any one Plain Speaker what any other might say; and I decided to apply this rule, so far as I thought proper, even to Maxwell and Perceval.
“But,” you may object, “what about their fee? Doesn’t that make confidence necessary?” Well, to that objection I had several answers. I hadn’t the fee. I hadn’t promised to take it. Besides, if I thought I could help at all by holding my tongue, the
