`Amanwhohasthismark，brandedinthisplace，’hesaid，coveringhisarmagain，`isamemberoftheBrotherhood。AmanwhohasbeenfalsetotheBrotherhoodisdiscoveredsoonerorlaterbythechiefswhoknowhim——presidentsorsecretaries，asthecasemaybe。Andamandiscoveredbythechiefsisdead。Nohumanlawscanprotecthim。Rememberwhatyouhaveseenandheard——drawwhatconclusionsyoulike——actasyouplease。But，inthenameofGod，whateveryoudiscover，whateveryoudo，tellmenothing！Letmeremainfreefromaresponsibilitywhichithorrifiesmetothinkof——whichIknow，inmyconscience，isnotmyresponsibilitynow。ForthelasttimeIsayit——onmyhonourasagentleman，onmyoathasaChristian，ifthemanyoupointedoutattheOperaknowsme，heissoaltered，orsodisguised，thatIdonotknowhim。IamignorantofhisproceedingsorhispurposesinEngland。Ineversawhim，Ineverheardthenamehegoesby，tomyknowledge，beforetonight。Isaynomore。
Leavemealittle，Walter。Iamoverpoweredbywhathashappened——IamshakenbywhatIhavesaid。Letmetrytobelikemyselfagainwhenwemeetnext。’
Hedroppedintoachair，andturningawayfromme，hidhisfaceinhishands。Igentlyopenedthedoorsoasnottodisturbhim，andspokemyfewpartingwordsinlowtones，whichhemighthearornot，ashepleased。
`Iwillkeepthememoryoftonightinmyheartofhearts，’Isaid。`Youshallneverrepentthetrustyouhavereposedinme。MayIcometoyoutomorrow？MayIcomeasearlyasnineo’clock？’
`Yes，Walter，’hereplied，lookingupatmekindly，andspeakinginEnglishoncemore，asifhisoneanxietynowwastogetbacktoourformerrelationstowardseachother。`CometomylittlebitofbreakfastbeforeIgomywaysamongthepupilsthatIteach。’