Chapter Two



          (Not from Captain Hastings's Personal Narrative)
         Mr.Alexander Bonaparte Cust rose from his seat and peered
     near-sightedly
     round the shabby bedroom.His back was stiff from sitthing in a cramped
     position and as he stretched himself to his full height an onlooker
     would
     have realized that he was，in reality，quite a tall man.His stoop and
     his
     near-sighted peering gave a delusive impression.
         Going to a well-worn overcoat hanging on the back of the door，he
     took
     from the pocket a packet of cheap cigarettes and some matches.He lit a
     cigarette and then returned to the table at which he had been
     sitting.He
     picked up a railway guide and consulted it，then he returned to the
     consideration of a typewritten list of names.With a pen，he made a
     tick
     against one of the first names on the list.
         It was Tursday，June 20th.

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