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I was walking one day through the somewhat squalid district which lies
between Bow Street and High Holborn； when I saw； in a small theatrical
costumer's window； a hand…bill stating that a black poodle had
〃followed a gentleman〃 on a certain date； and if not claimed and the
finder remunerated before a stated time would be sold to pay expenses。
I went in and got a copy of the bill to show Lilian； and； although by
that time I scarcely dared to look a poodle in the face； I thought I
would go to the address given and see the animal； simply to be able to
tell Lilian I had done so。
The gentleman whom the dog had very unaccountably followed was a
certain Mr。 William Blagg； who kept a little shop near Endell Street；
and called himself a bird…fancier； though I should scarcely have
credited him with the necessary imagination。 He was an evil…browed
ruffian in a fur cap； with a broad broken nose and little shifty red
eyes； and after I had told him what I wanted he took me through a
horrible little den； stacked with piles of wooden； wire； and wicker
prisons； each quivering with restless； twittering life； and then out
into a back yard； in which were two or three rotten old kennels and
tubs。 〃That there's him；〃 he said； jerking his thumb to the farthest
tub； 〃follered me all the way 'ome from Kinsington Gardens； /he/ did。
Kim out； will yer？〃
And out of the tub there crawled slowly； with a snuffling whimper and
a rattling of its chain； the identical dog I had slain a few evenings
before！
At least； so I thought for a moment； and felt as if I had seen a
spectre； the resemblance was so exactin size； in every detail； even
to the little clumps of hair about the hind parts； even to the lop of
half an ear； this dog might have been the /doppelganger/ of the
deceased Bingo。 I suppose； after all； one black poodle is very like
any other black poodle of the same size； but the likeness startled me。
I think it was then that the idea occurred to me that here was a
miraculous chance of securing the sweetest girl in the whole world；
and at the same time atoning for my wrong by bringing back gladness
with me to Shuturgarden。 It only needed a little boldness； one last
deception； and I could embrace truthfulness once more。
Almost unconsciously； when my guide turned round and asked； 〃Is that
there dawg yourn？〃 I said hurriedly； 〃Yes； yes； that's the dog I want；
thatthat's Bingo！〃
〃He don't seem to be a…puttin' of 'isself out about seein' you again；〃
observed Mr。 Blagg； as the poodle studied me with calm interest。
〃Oh； he's not exactly /my/ dog； you see；〃 I said； 〃he belongs to a
friend of mine！〃
He gave me a quick； furtive glance。 〃Then maybe you're mistook about
him；〃 he said； 〃and I can't run no risks。 I was a…goin' down in the
country this 'ere werry evenin' to see a party as lives at Wistaria
Willa； he's been a…hadwertisin' about a black poodle； /he/ has！〃
〃But look here；〃 I said； 〃that's /me/。〃
He gave me a curious leer。 〃No offence； you know； guv'nor；〃 he said；
〃but I should wish for some evidence as to that afore I part with a
vallyable dawg like this 'ere！〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃here's one of my cards； will that do for you？〃
He took it and spelled it out with a pretence of great caution； but I
saw well enough that the old schoundrel suspected that if I had lost a
dog at all it was not this particular dog。 〃Ah；〃 he said； as he put it
in his pocket； 〃if I part with him to you I must be cleared of all
risks。 I can't afford to get into trouble about no mistakes。 Unless
you likes to leave him for a day or two you must pay accordin'； you
see。〃
I wanted to get the hateful business over as soon as possible。 I did
not care what I paidLilian was worth all the expense！ I said I had
no doubt myself as to the real ownership of the animal； but I would
give him any sum in reason； and would remove the dog at once。
And so we settled it。 I paid him an extortionate sum； and came away
with a duplicate poodle； a canine counterfeit； which I hoped to pass
off at Shuturgarden as the long…lost Bingo。
I know it was wrong；it even came unpleasantly near dog…stealing；
but I was a desperate man。 I saw Lilian gradually slipping away from
me； I knew that nothing short of this could ever recall her； I was
sorely tempted； I had gone far on the same road already； it was the
old story of being hung for a sheep。 And so I fell。
Surely some who read this will be generous enough to consider the
peculiar state of the case； and mingle a little pity with their
contempt。
I was dining in town that evening； and took my purchase home by a late
train； his demeanour was grave and intensely respectable； he was not
the animal to commit himself by any flagrant indiscretion； he was
gentle and tractable too； and in all respects an agreeable contrast in
character to the original。 Still； it may have been the after…dinner
workings of conscience； but I could not help fancying that I saw a
certain look in the creature's eyes； as if he were aware that he was
required to connive at a fraud； and rather resented it。
If he would only be good enough to back me up！ Fortunately； however；
he was such a perfect facsimile of the outward Bingo that the risk of
detection was really inconsiderable。
When I got him home I put Bingo's silver collar round his neck；
congratulating myself on my forethought in preserving it； and took him
in to see my mother。 She accepted him as what he seemed without the
slightest misgiving； but this； though it encouraged me to go on； was
not decisivethe spurious poodle would have to encounter the scrutiny
of those who knew every tuft on the genuine animal's body！
Nothing would have induced me to undergo such an ordeal as that of
personally restoring him to the Curries。 We gave him supper； and tied
him up on the lawn； where he howled dolefully all night and buried
bones。
The next morning I wrote a note to Mrs。 Currie； expressing my pleasure
at being able to restore the lost one； and another to Lilian；
containing only the words； 〃Will you believe /now/ that I am sincere？〃
Then I tied both round the poodle's neck； and dropped him over the
wall into the colonel's garden just before I started to catch my train
to town。
I had an anxious walk home from the station that evening； I went round
by the longer way； trembling the whole time lest I should meet any of
the Currie household； to which I felt myself entirely unequal just
then。 I could not rest until I knew whether my fraud had succeeded； or
if the poodle to which I had intrusted my fate had basely betrayed me；
but my suspense was happily ended as soon as I entered my mother's
room。 〃You can't think how delighted those poor Curries were to see
Bingo again；〃 she said at once； 〃and they said such charming things
about you； AlgyLilian particularly； quite affected she seemed； poor
child！ And they wanted you to go round and dine there and be thanked
to…night； but at last I persuaded them to come to us instead。 And
they're going to bring the dog to make friends。 Oh； and I met Frank
Travers； he's back from circuit again now； so I asked him in too to
meet them！〃
I drew a deep breath of relief。 I had played a desperate game； but I
had won！ I could have wished； to be sure； that my mother had not
thought of bringing in Travers on that of all evenings； but I hoped
that I could defy him after this。
The colonel and his people were the first to arrive； he and his wife
being so effusively grateful that they made me very uncomfortable
indeed； Lilian met me with downcast eyes and the faintest possible
blush； but she said nothing just then。 Five minutes afterward； when
she and I were alone together in the conservatory； where I had brought
her on pretence of showing a new begonia； she laid her hand on my
sleeve and whispered； almost shyly； 〃Mr。 WeatherheadAlgernon！ Can
you ever forgive me for being so cruel and unjust to you？〃 And I
replied that； upon the whole； I could。
We were not in the conservatory long； but before we left it beautiful
Lilian Roseblade had consented to make my life happy。 When we
reentered the drawing…room we found Frank Travers； who had been told
the story of the recovery； and I observed his jaw fall as he glanced
at our faces； and noted the triumphant smile which I have no doubt
mine wore； and the tender； dreamy look in Lilian's soft eyes。 Poor
Travers！ I was sorry for him； although I was not fond of him。 Travers
was a good type of rising young common…law barrister； tall； not bad…
looking； with keen dark eyes； black whiskers； and the mobile forensic
mouth which can express every shade of feeling； from deferential
assent to cynical incredulity； possessed； too； of an endless flow of
conversation that was decidedly agreeable； if a trifling too
laboriously so； he had been a dangerous rival。 But all that was over
now； he saw it himself at once；