She's running well up to time, I think."
"We've got time for a bit of a rehearsal," said Crook. "Just
watch me, will you please, Major, and I'll try and give you an
impression of our friend. I've been studying him at Brixton for
the past twelve days, day and night almost, you might say, and I
think I can convey an idea of his manner and walk. The walk is a
very important point. Now, here is Mr. Bellward meeting one of
his friends. Mr. Matthews, you will be the friend!"
Then followed one of the most extraordinary performances that
Desmond had ever witnessed. By some trick of the actor's art, the
shriveled figure of the expert seemed to swell out and thicken,
while his low, gentle voice deepened into a full, metallic
baritone. Of accent in his speech there was none, but Desmond's
ear, trained to foreigners' English, could detect a slight
Continental intonation, a little roll of the "r's," an unfamiliar
sound about those open "o's" of the English tongue, which are so
fatal a trap for foreigners speaking our language. As he watched
Crook, Desmond glanced from time to time at the photograph of
Bellward which he had picked up from the table. He had an
intuition that Bellward behaved and spoke just as the man before
him.
Then, at Crook's suggestion, Desmond assumed the role of
Bellward.
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