"yesterday morning i was seated in my office at the bank when a card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. i started when i saw the name, for it was that of none other than—well, perhaps even to you i had better say no more than that it was a name which is a household word all over the earth—one of the highest, noblest, most exalted names in england. i was overwhelmed by the honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged at once into business with the air of a man who wishes to hurry quickly through a disagreeable task.