Talleyrand Maxim

'It's old Mr. Bartle, sir,' he whispered. 'He's in your room there -- dead ' 'Dead?' exclaimed Eldrick. 'Dead ' Pratt shook his head again. 'He came up not so long after you'd gone, sir,' he said. 'Everybody had gone but me -- I was just going. Wanted to see you about something I don't know what. He was very tottery when he came in -- complained of the stairs and the fog. I took him into your room, to sit down in the easy chair. And -- he died straight off. Just,' concluded Pratt, 'just as if he was going quietly to sleep '