"If I had a friend in Captain Percy's predicament, I should bid him beware of the Italian doctor." "Your friend would be obliged for the warning," I replied.
We walked a little further.

"And I think," he said, "that I should inform this purely hypothetical friend of mine that the Italian and his patron had their heads mighty close together, last night." "Last night ?" "Ay, last night.

I went to drink with my lord, and so broke up their tete-a-tete.

My lord was boisterous in his cups and not oversecret.
He dropped some hints"-- He broke off to indulge in one of his endless silent laughs.

"I don't know why I tell you this, Captain Percy.