saidItomyterrifiedemployer。IshmaelPickupwrunghisdirtyhandsandanswered，\"Yesh，mydear!\"
Ourinformantinthisawkwardmatterwasemployedattheofficeofthelawyerswhoweretohavetheconductingofthecaseagainstus；andhewasabletotellmesomeofthethingsImostwantedtoknowinrelationtothepicture。
IfoundoutfromhimthattheRembrandtwasstillinourcustomer\'spossession。Theoldgentlemanhadconsentedtothequestionofitsgenuinenessbeingtried，buthadfartoohighanideaofhisownknowledgeasaconnoisseurtoinclinetotheopinionthathehadbeentakenin。Hissuspiciousrelativewasnotstayinginthehouse，butwasinthehabitofvisitinghim，everyday，intheforenoon。ThatwasasmuchasIwantedtoknowfromothers。Therestdependedonmyself，onluck，time，humancredulity，andasmatteringofchemicalknowledgewhichIhadacquiredinthedaysofmymedicalstudies。Ilefttheconclaveatthepicture-dealer\'sforthwith，andpurchasedatthenearestdruggist\'sabottlecontainingacertainpowerfulliquid，whichI
declinetoparticularizeonhighmoralgrounds。Ilabeledthebottle\"TheAmsterdamCleansingCompound\"；andIwrappedrounditthefollowingnote:
\"Mr。Pickup\'srespectfulcomplimentstoMr——letussay，Green。