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continued to balance himself gravely in his abnormal position。 〃Good
gracious； John；〃 cried Mrs。 Currie； 〃I never saw Bingo do such a thing
before in his life！〃
〃Very odd；〃 said the colonel； putting up his glasses； 〃never learned that
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from /me/。〃
〃I tell you what I fancy it is；〃 I suggested wildly。 〃You see； he was
always a sensitive； excitable animal； and perhaps thethe sudden joy of
his return has gone to his head/upset/ him； you know。〃
They seemed disposed to accept this solution； and； indeed； I believe
they would have credited Bingo with every conceivable degree of
sensibility； but I felt myself that if this unhappy animal had many more of
these accomplishments I was undone； for the original Bingo had never
been a dog of parts。
〃It's very odd；〃 said Travers； reflectively； as the dog recovered his
proper level； 〃but I always thought that it was half the /right/ ear that
Bingo had lost。〃
〃So it is； isn't it？〃 said the colonel。 〃Left； eh？ Well； I thought myself it
was the right。〃
My heart almost stopped with terror； I had altogether forgotten that。 I
hastened to set the point at rest。 〃Oh； it /was/ the left；〃 I said； positively； 〃I
know it because I remember so particularly thinking how odd it was that it
/should/ be the left ear； and not the right！〃 I told myself this should be
positively my last lie。
〃/Why/ odd？〃 asked Frank Travers； with his most offensive Socratic
manner。
〃My dear fellow； I can't tell you；〃 I said； impatiently； 〃everything
seems odd when you come to think at all about it。〃
〃Algernon；〃 said Lilian； later on； 〃will you tell Aunt Mary and Mr。
Travers andme how it was you came to find Bingo？ Mr。 Travers is quite
anxious to hear all about it。〃
I could not very well refuse； I sat down and told the story； all my own
way。 I painted Blagg perhaps rather bigger and blacker than life； and
described an exciting scene； in which I recognised Bingo by his collar in
the streets； and claimed and bore him off then and there in spite of all
opposition。
I had the inexpressible pleasure of seeing Travers grinding his teeth
with envy as I went on； and feeling Lilian's soft； slender hand glide
silently into mine as I told my tale in the twilight。
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All at once； just as I reached the climax； we heard the poodle barking
furiously at the hedge which separated my garden from the road。
〃There's a foreign…looking man staring over the hedge；〃 said Lilian；
〃Bingo always /did/ hate foreigners。〃
There certainly was a swarthy man there； and； though I had no reason
for it then； somehow my heart died within me at the sight of him。
〃Don't be alarmed； sir；〃 cried the colonel； 〃the dog won't bite you
unless there's a hole in the hedge anywhere。〃
The stranger took off his small straw hat with a sweep。 〃Ah； I am not
afraid；〃 he said； and his accent proclaimed him a Frenchman； 〃he is not
enrage at me。 May I ask； it is pairmeet to speak viz Misterre Vezzered？〃
I felt I must deal with this person alone； for I feared the worst； and；
asking them to excuse me； I went to the hedge and faced the Frenchman
with the frightful calm of despair。 He was a short； stout little man； with
blue cheeks； sparkling black eyes； and a vivacious walnut…coloured
countenance； he wore a short black alpaca coat； and a large white cravat；
with an immense oval malachite brooch in the centre of it； which I
mention because I found myself staring mechanically at it during the
interview。
〃My name is Weatherhead；〃 I began with the bearing of a detected
pickpocket。 〃Can I be of any service to you？〃
〃Of a great service；〃 he said； emphatically； 〃you can restore to me ze
poodle vich I see zere！〃
Nemesis had called at last in the shape of a rival claimant。 I staggered
for an instant； then I said； 〃Oh； I think you are under a mistake； that dog is
not mine。〃
〃I know it；〃 he said； 〃zere 'as been leetle mistake； so if ze dog is not to
you； you give him back to me； /hein/？〃
〃I tell you；〃 I said； 〃that poodle belongs to the gentleman over there。〃
And I pointed to the colonel； seeing that it was best now to bring him into
the affair without delay。 〃You are wrong；〃 he said； doggedly； 〃ze poodle
is my poodle！ And I was direct to youit is your name on ze carte！〃 And
he presented me with that fatal card which I had been foolish enough to
give to Blagg as a proof of my identity。 I saw it all now； the old villain had
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betrayed me； and to earn a double reward had put the real owner on my
track。
I decided to call the colonel at once； and attempt to brazen it out with
the help of his sincere belief in the dog。
〃Eh； what's that； what's it all about？〃 said the colonel； bustling up；
followed at intervals by the others。
The Frenchman raised his hat again。 〃I do not vant to make a trouble；〃
he began； 〃but zere is leetle mistake。 My word of honour； sare； I see my
own poodle in your garden。 Ven I appeal to zis gentilman to restore 'im he
reffer me to you。〃
〃You must allow me to know my own dog； sir；〃 said the colonel。 〃Why；
I've had him from a pup。 Bingo； old boy； you know your name； don't
you？〃
But the brute ignored him altogether； and began to leap wildly at the
hedge in frantic efforts to join the Frenchman。 It needed no Solomon to
decide /his/ ownership！
〃I tell you； you 'ave got ze wrong poodleit is my own dog； my Azor！
He remember me well； you see？ I lose him； it is three； four days。 。 。 。 I see
a nottice zat he is found； and ven I go to ze address zey tell me； 'Oh； he is
reclaim； he is gone viz a strangaire who has advertise。' Zey show me ze
placard； I follow 'ere； and ven I arrive I see my poodle in ze garden before
me！〃
〃But look here；〃 said the colonel； impatiently； 〃it's all very well to say
that； but how can you prove it？ I give you /my/ word that the dog belongs
to /me/！ You must prove your claim； eh； Tr