“I’m beginning to understand less and less. Go back to the beginning of the story and start again. You went to Florence⁠—”

“Then you don’t know after all⁠—and you didn’t recognize me!”

“As far as I can judge, you seem to have given yourself away needlessly⁠—made a coward of by your conscience. But I shall be able to tell better when I’ve heard the whole story. Now, then, take a deep breath and start again. You went to Florence⁠ ⁠…”

“But I didn’t go to Florence. That is just it.”

“Well, where did you go, then?”

“I went home⁠—to Marlow.”

“What the devil did you want to go to Marlow for?”

“I wanted to see my wife. She was in delicate health and expecting⁠—”