"When I came here, I undertook to throw the necessary light on the matter of the missing Diamond.

I am now ready, and waiting to redeem my pledge.

When I have stated the case to Lady Verinder as the case now stands, and when I have told her plainly what course of action to take for the recovery of the Moonstone, the responsibility will be off my shoulders.

Let her ladyship decide, after that, whether she does, or does not, allow me to go on.

I shall then have done what I undertook to do--and I'll take my fee." In those words Sergeant Cuff reminded us that, even in the Detective Police, a man may have a reputation to lose.
The view he took was so plainly the right one, that there was no more to be said.