“ Mr. Lightwood?”

During a pause, Mortimer and the stranger confronted each other. Neither knew the other.

“I think, sir,” said Mortimer, breaking the awkward silence with his airy self-possession, “that you did me the honour to mention my name?”

“I repeated it, after this man.”

“You said you were a stranger in London?”

“An utter stranger.”

“Are you seeking a Mr. Harmon?”

“No.”