Treatinghisstrugglesasthestrugglesofababy，Meekinsnextproceededtosecurehiswristswithhandcuffs。Hethenheldhisfeettogetherwhilehequietlywoundacoilofcordaroundthem。
Mr。Fentolinwatchedtheproceedingsfromhischairwithanairofpleasedandcriticalinterest。
“Verywelldone，Meekins-veryneatlydone，indeed！“heexclaimed。
“AsIwassaying，Mr。Dunster，“hecontinued，turninghischair，“ourconversationhasreachedapointatwhichIthinkwemaysafelyleaveitforatime。Wewilldiscussthesemattersagain。
Yourpretextofapoliticalmissionis，ofcourse，anabsurdone，butfortunatelyyouhavefallenintogoodhands。TakegoodcareofMr。Dunster，Meekins。Icanseethatheisaveryimportantpersonage。Wemustbecarefulnottolosesightofhim。“
Mr。Fentolinsteeredhischairtothedoor，openedit，andpassedout。Onthelandingheblewhiswhistle；theliftalmostimmediatelyascended。Amomentortwolaterheglidedintothedining-room。Thethreemenwerestillseatedaroundthetable。Adecanterofwine，almostempty，wasbeforeDoctorSarson，whosepallidcheeks，however，wereasyetunflushed。
“Atlast，mydearguest，“Mr。Fentolinexclaimed，turningtoHamel，“Iamabletoreturntoyou。Ifyouwilldrinknomorewine，letushaveourcoffeeinthelibrary，youandI。IwanttotalktoyouabouttheTower。“
Mr。Fentolinledthewaytoadelightfullittlecornerofhislibrary，wherebeforetheopengrate，recentlypiledwithhissinglogs，aneasychairhadbeendrawn。Hewheeledhimselfuptotheothersideofthehearthrugandleanedbackwithalittleairofexhaustion。Thebutler，whoseemedtohaveappearedunsummonedfromsomewhereamongtheshadows，servedcoffeeandpouredsomeoldbrandyintolargeandwonderfullythinglasses。
“Whymyhouseshouldbeturnedintoanasylumtogratifythehospitableinstinctsofmyyoungnephew，Icannotimagine，“Mr。
Fentolingrumbled。“Amostextraordinaryperson，ourvisitor，Icanassureyou。Quiteviolent，too，hewasatfirst。“
“Haveyouhadanyoutsideadviceabouthiscondition？“Hamelinquired。
Mr。FentolinglancedacrossthosefewfeetofspaceandlookedatHamelwithswiftsuspicion。
“WhyshouldI？“heasked。“DoctorSarsonisfullyqualified，andthecaseseemstopresentnounusualcharacteristics。“
Hamelsippedhisbrandythoughtfully。
“Idon’tknowwhyIsuggestedit，“headmitted。“Ionlythoughtthatanoutsidedoctormighthelpyoutogetridofthefellow。“
Mr。Fentolinshruggedhisshoulders。
“Afterall，“hesaid，“thematterisofnorealconsequence。DoctorSarsonassuresmethatweshallbeabletosendhimonhiswayveryshortly。Inthemeantime，Mr。Hamel，whatabouttheTower？“
“Whataboutit？“Hamelasked，selectingacigarfromtheboxwhichhadbeenpushedtohisside。“IamsureIhaven’tanywishtoinconvenienceyou。“
“Iwillbequitefrank，“Mr。Fentolindeclared。“Idonotdisputeyourrightforamoment。Ontheotherhand，myfewhoursdailydowntherehavebecomeahabitwithme。Idonotwishtogivethemup。
Stayherewithus，Mr。Hamel。Youwillbedoingusagreatkindness。
Mynephewandniecehavetoolittlecongenialsociety。Makeupyourmindtogiveusafortnightofyourtime，andIcanassureyouthatwewilldoourbesttomakeyoursapleasantstay。“
Hamelwasalittletakenaback。
“Mr。Fentolin，“hesaid，“Icouldn’tthinkofacceptingyourhospitalitytosuchanextent。MyideaincomingherewassimplytofulfilanoldpromisetomyfatherandtoroughitattheTowerforaweekorso，andwhenthatwasover，Idon’tsupposeIshouldeverbelikelytocomebackagain。Youhadbetterletmecarryoutthatplan，andafterwardstheplaceshallbeentirelyatyourdisposal。“
“Youdon’tquiteunderstand，“Mr。Fentolinpersisted，alittleirritably。“Isitthereeverymorning。Iwant，forinstance，tobethereto-morrowmorning，andthenextmorning，andthemorningafterwards，tofinishalittleseascapeIhavecommenced。Nowhereelsewilldo。CallitawhimorwhatyouwillIhavebegunthepicture，andIwanttofinishit。“
“Well，youcansitthereallright，“Hamelassuredhim。“Ishallbeoutplayinggolforfishing。Ishalldonothingbutsleepthere。“
“Andveryuncomfortableyouwillbe，“Mr。Fentolinpointedout。
“Youhavenoservant，Iunderstand，andthereisnooneinthevillagefittolookafteryou。Thinkofmythirty-nineemptyrooms，mybookshere，mygardens，mymotor-cars，myyoungpeople，entirelyatyourservice。Youcanhaveasuitetoyourself。Youcandisappearwhenyoulike。ToalleffectsandpurposesyouwillbethemasterofSt。David’sHall。Bereasonable。Don’tyouthink，now，thatyoucanspendafortnightmorepleasantlyundersuchcircumstancesthanbyplayingthemisanthropedownattheTower？“
“Pleasedon’tthink，“Hamelbegged，“thatIdon’tappreciateyourhospitality。Ishouldfeeluncomfortable，however，ifIpaidyouavisitofthelengthyouhavesuggested。Come，Idon’tsee，“headded，“whymyoccupationoftheTowershouldinterferewithyou。
Ishouldbeawayfromitbyaboutnineorteno’clockeverymorning。
Ishouldprobablyonlysleepthere。Can’tyouaccepttheuseofitalltherestofthetime？Icanassureyouthatyouwillbewelcometocomeandgoasthoughitwereentirelyyourown。“
Mr。Fentolinhadlitacigaretteandwaswatchingthebluesmokecurlupwardstotheceiling。
“You’reanobstinateman，Mr。Hamel，“hesighed，“butIsupposeyoumusthaveyourownway。By-the-by，youwouldonlyneedtousetheup-stairsroomandthesitting-room。Youwillnotneedtheouthouse-rathermorethananouthouse，thoughisn’tit？Imeantheshedwhichleadsoutfromthekitchen，wherethelifeboatusedtobekept？“
“Idon’tthinkIshallneedthat，“Hameladmitted，alittlehesitatingly。
“Totellyouthetruth，“Mr。Fentolincontinued，“amongmyotherhobbiesIhavedonealittleinventing。Iworksometimesatamodelthere。Itisfoolish，perhaps，butIwishnoonetoseeit。
DoyoumindifIkeepthekeysoftheplace？“
“Notintheleast，“Hamelreplied。“Tellme，whatdirectiondoyourinventionstake，Mr。Fentolin？
“Beforeyougo，“Mr。Fentolinpromised，“Iwillshowyoumylittlemodelatwork。Untilthenwewillnottalkofit。Nowcome，befrankwithme。Shallweexchangeideasforalittletime？Willyoutalkofbooks？Theyaremydailyfriends。Ihavethousandsofthem，belovedcompanionsoneveryside。Orwillyoutalkofpoliticsortravel？Orwouldyouratherbefrivolouswithmynieceandnephew？
That，Ithink，isEstherplaying。“
“Tobequitefrank，“Hameldeclaredbluntly，“Ishouldliketotalktoyourniece。
Mr。Fentolinsmiledasthoughamused。Hisamusement，however，wasperfectlygood-natured。
“Ifyouwillopenthisdoor，“hesaid，“youwillseeanotheroneexactlyoppositetoyou。Thatisthedrawing-room。YouwillfindEstherthere。Beforeyougo，willyoupassmetheQuarterlyReview？
Thankyou。“
Hamelcrossedthehail，openedthedooroftheroomtowhichhehadbeendirected，andmadehiswaytowardsthepiano。Estherwasthere，playingsoftlytoherselfwitheyeshalfclosed。Hecameandstoodbyherside，andshestoppedabruptly。Hereyesquestionedhim。Thenherfingersstoleoncemoreoverthekeys，moresoftlystill。
“Ihavejustleftyouruncle，“Hamelsaid。“HetoldmethatImightcomeinhere。“
“Yes？“shemurmured。
“Hewasveryhospitable，“Hamelcontinued。“HewantedmetoremainhereasaguestandnotgototheToweratall。“
“Andyou？“
“IamgoingtotheTower，“hesaid。“Iamgoingthereto-morroworthedayafter。“
Themusicswelledbeneathherfingers。
“Forhowlong？“
“Foraweekorso。Iamjustgivingyouruncletimetoclearouthisbelongings。Iamleavinghimtheouthouse。“
“Heaskedyoutoleavehimthat？“shewhispered。
“Yes！
“Youarenotgoinginthereatall？“
“Notatall。“
