Suppressinganewburstofmerriment，Hattersleypointedtotheouterdoor。Itwashalfopen。Hisbrother-in-lawwasstandingonthefrontwithout。
`Mr。Hargrave，willyoupleasetostepthisway？’saidI。Heturnedandlookedatmeingravesurprise。`Stepthisway，ifyouplease！’Irepeated，insodeterminedamannerthathecouldnot，ordidnotchoosetoresistitsauthority。Somewhatreluctantlyheascendedthestepsandadvancedapaceortwointothehall。
`Andtellthosegentlemen，’Icontinued——`thesemenwhetherornotIyieldedtoyoursolicitations。’
`Idon’tunderstandyou，Mrs。Huntingdon。’
`Youdounderstandme，sir；andIchargeyouuponyourhonourasagentlemanifyouhaveany，toanswertruly。DidI，ordidInot？’