The nurse, who came out of the sick room, gently closing the door after
her, demurred a little to this second visit, but, receiving a promise
from the visitor not to excite the invalid, left them together. The
odour of the abominable physic was upon the air.
"Well?" said the invalid.
"I have been thinking that I was rather uncivil a little while ago," said
Hardy.
"Ah!" said the other. "What do you want?"
"A little of that skilled assistance you were speaking of."
Mr. Swann made an alarming noise in his throat. Hardy sprang forward in
alarm, but he motioned him back.
"I was only laughing," he explained.
Hardy repressed his annoyance by an effort, and endeavoured, but with
scant success, to return the other's smile.
"Go on," said the shipbroker, presently.
"I have thought of a scheme for upsetting Nugent's marriage," said Hardy,
slowly.
"It is just a forlorn hope which depends for its success on you and
Nathan Smith."
"He's a friend of Kybird's," said the other, drily.
"That is the most important thing of all," rejoined Hardy. "That is,
next to your shrewdness and tact; everything depends upon you, really,
and whether you can fool Smith.
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