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taking the colonel aside； I seized the opportunity； as we strolled up
and down the garden path； to ask his consent to Lilian's engagement to
me。 He gave it cordially。 〃There's not a man in England；〃 he said；
〃that I'd sooner see her married to after to…day。 You're a quiet；
steady young fellow； and you've a good kind heart。 As for the money；
that's neither here nor there； Lilian won't come to you without a
penny； you know。 But really； my boy； you can hardly believe what it is
to my poor wife and me to see that dog。 Why； bless my soul； look at
him now！ What's the matter with him； eh？〃
To my unutterable horror； I saw that that miserable poodle； after
begging unnoticed at the tea…table for some time； had retired to an
open space before it； where he was industriously standing on his head。
We gathered round and examined the animal curiously； as he 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 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。
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 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； Travers？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Travers； judicially； 〃mere assertion is no proof； it's
oath against oath at present。〃
〃Attend an instant； your poodle； was he 'ighly train； had he some
talentsa dog viz trick