'When, Sir Gregory, may the end be expected? Lord Reginald must pardon my asking so frank a question, but, as I will explain to him later, it is of the first importance that I should know exactly what we may expect.'
Reggie said nothing. Sir Gregory considered a moment.
'What is the opinion of the gentleman who is already in attendance?'
I replied. 'Dr. White thinks he will not live four-and-twenty hours.'
Hancock felt the patient's pulse. Opening his shirt he applied the stethoscope; tried his temperature. The sleeper never moved, or showed consciousness of what was going on. The condition of his body, as it was revealed when Hancock opened his shirt, amazed me. It was nothing but skin and bone. And such a colour. Was it possible that this was the man who yesterday had been smoking his cigar on the couch at the York Hotel? My perplexity grew apace. Hancock pronounced his opinion.
'What Dr. White says is correct. I should doubt myself if he will live through the day.'
'Humanly speaking, nothing. He is not dead, but he is so nearly so that he may be said to be already looking through the gates.'
Hancock liked to talk like that. It was supposed that remarks of that kind had made him popular with women. Foster fidgeted.
'Sir Gregory, it is essential that the Marquis should make a will. He was in possession of all his faculties before you entered. Can nothing be done to rouse him?'
'Anything. A will we ought to have at any cost. Its absence may be the cause of endless confusion.'
'I can only say, sir, that if the Marquis of Twickenham has not made a will already he never will. Any attempt to rouse him, such as you appear to suggest, might result in his instant death. If we succeeded he would be incapable of doing what you require.'
'I can only say that, from your point of view, your brother might as well have continued an absentee as, under the present circumstances, die intestate.'
I struck in. 'That's absurd. Lord Reginald will succeed.'
'Will he? Don't be too sure. There will always be a probability of other claimants. Opposition may come from a dozen quarters. How can we tell what connections such a man as he has been may not have formed during fifteen years?'
As he propounded this delightful proposition an extraordinary thing took place. Once more the sleeper awoke. He just opened his eyes and looked at us.