“Really, sir?”
“Yes. Laden down with chains in the deepest dungeon beneath the castle moat. I tried to bail him out, but they decided on second thoughts to coop him up for the night.”
“What was his offence, sir?”
“You remember that girl of his I was telling you about? He found her in a tank at the Palace of Beauty and went after her by the quickest route, which was via a plate-glass window. He was then scooped up and borne off in irons by the constabulary.” I gazed sideways at him. It is difficult to bring off a penetrating glance out of the corner of your eye, but I managed it. “Jeeves,” I said, “there is more in this than the casual observer would suppose. You told Mr. Biffen to go to the Palace of Beauty. Did you know the girl would be there?”
“Yes, sir.”
This was most remarkable and rummy to a degree.
“Dash it, do you know everything?”
“Oh, no, sir,” said Jeeves, with an indulgent smile. Humouring the young master.
“Well, how did you know that?”
“I happen to be acquainted with the future Mrs. Biffen, sir.”
“I see. Then you knew all about that business in New York?”
“Yes, sir. And it was for that reason that I was not altogether favourably disposed towards Mr. Biffen when you were first kind enough to suggest that I might be able to offer some slight assistance. I mistakenly supposed