It was the liberation of his inner life, the letting out of his soul into the wide world.

And the zeal of his guileless vanity (first awakened by the offer of five hundred pounds from a publisher) seemed something predestined and holy.
"It would be, of course, most desirable to be informed exactly," insisted the Assistant Commissioner uncandidly.
Chief Inspector Heat, conscious of renewed irritation at this display of scrupulousness, said that the county police had been notified from the first of Michaelis' arrival, and that a full report could be obtained in a few hours.

A wire to the superintendent-- Thus he spoke, rather slowly, while his mind seemed already to be weighing the consequences.

A slight knitting of the brow was the outward sign of this.

But he was interrupted by a question.
"You've sent that wire already ?" "No, sir," he answered, as if surprised.
The Assistant Commissioner uncrossed his legs suddenly.