He wore gold-rimmed spectacles, which magnified his oblique eyes
and lent him a terrifying beetle-like appearance. His mephistophelean
eyebrows were raised interrogatively, and he was smiling so as to
exhibit a row of uneven yellow teeth.
Soames, his amazement giving place to reasonless terror, fell back a
step--into the arms of Gianapolis.
"This is our friend from Palace Mansions," said the Greek. He squeezed
Soames' arm, reassuringly. "Your new principal, Soames, Mr. Ho-Pin, from
whom you will take your instructions."
"I have these instructions for Mr. Soames," said Ho-Pin, in a metallic,
monotonous voice. (He gave to r half the value of w, with a hint of the
presence of l.) "He will wremain here as valet until the search fowr him
becomes less wrigowrous."
Soames, scarce believing that he was awake, made no reply. He found
himself unable to meet the glittering eyes of the Chinaman; he glanced
furtively about the room, prepared at any moment to wake up from what
seemed to him an absurd, a ghostly dream.
"Said will change his appeawrance," continued Ho-Pin, smoothly, "so that
he will not wreadily be wrecognized. Said will come now."
Ho-Pin clapped his hands three times.
The door at the end of the room immediately opened, and a thick-set man
of a pronounced Arabian type, entered.
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