He then sat down in chair number two, and laid
his pocket-book, very carefully, on chair number one. He then untied the
pocket-book, and hung the string over the back of chair number one. He
then drew both the chairs a little nearer Mr Montague, and opening
the pocket-book spread out its contents. Finally he selected a certain
memorandum from the rest, and held it out to his employer, who, during
the whole of these preliminary ceremonies, had been making violent
efforts to conceal his impatience.
'I wish you wouldn't be so fond of making notes, my excellent friend,'
said Tigg Montague with a ghastly smile. 'I wish you would consent to
give me their purport by word of mouth.'
'I don't like word of mouth,' said Mr Nadgett gravely. 'We never know
who's listening.'
Mr Montague was going to retort, when Nadgett handed him the paper, and
said, with quiet exultation in his tone, 'We'll begin at the beginning,
and take that one first, if you please, sir.'
The chairman cast his eyes upon it, coldly, and with a smile which did
not render any great homage to the slow and methodical habits of his
spy.
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