A New Lord WarbeckIt was a gloomy little party that reassembled for lunch. Sir Julius took his place at the head of the table, with a malevolent look at Dr. Bottwink, who sat on his right. Dr. Bottwink, for his part, appeared quite at ease, but bore an abstracted look, as if his mind was still absorbed in the political issues of the eighteenth century. Mrs. Carstairs, opposite, was nervous and fidgety. The place next to her was empty.
The meal began in silence, but it was not in Mrs. Carstairs to keep quiet for long. Inevitably, she began to talk about the weather.
"How long will this go on, do you suppose?" she said. "One feels so utterly helpless, being isolated in this way."
Sir Julius, to whom, if anybody, the rather fatuous question was addressed, merely shook his head gloomily. Dr
