Every now and then Nature says to him,
'Felix, you are old!' And Felix goes to bed, and says it's his nerves."
"I suppose he is to be trusted to keep his word about writing to Paris?"
pursued the lawyer.
"Oh, yes! He may delay doing it but he will do it. In spite of his
lackadaisical manner, he has moments of energy that would surprise you.
Talking of surprises, I have something to tell you about Moody. Within
the last day or two there has been a marked change in him--a change for
the worse."
"You astonish me, Lady Lydiard! In what way has Moody deteriorated?"
"You shall hear. Yesterday was Friday. You took him out with you, on
business, early in the morning."
Mr. Troy bowed, and said nothing. He had not thought it desirable to
mention the interview at which Old Sharon had cheated him of his guinea.
"In the course of the afternoon," pursued Lady Lydiard, "I happened to
want him, and I was informed that Moody had gone out again. Where had he
gone? Nobody knew. Had he left word when he would be back? He had left
no message of any sort. Of course, he is not in the position of an
ordinary servant. I don't expect him to ask permission to go out. But I
do expect him to leave word downstairs of the time at which he is likely
to return. When he did come back, after an absence of some hours, I
naturally asked for an explanation. Would you believe it? he simply
informed me that he had been away on business of his own; expressed
no regret, and offered no explanation--in short, spoke as if he was an
independent gentleman.
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