"Dead!" exclaimed Mr. Bideawhile. Squercum put his hands into his trowsers pockets and opened his mouth wide. "Dead!" muttered Mr. Longestaffe senior. "Dead!" said Dolly. "Who's dead?" The butler shook his head. Then Squercum whispered a word into the butler's ear, and the butler thereupon nodded his head. "It's about what I expected," said Squercum. Then the butler whispered the word to Mr. Longestaffe, and whispered it also to Mr. Bideawhile, and they all knew that the millionaire had swallowed poison during the night.

"Dead!" exclaimed Mr. Bideawhile. Squercum opened his mouth wide.
"Dead!" muttered Mr. Longestaffe senior.
"Dead!" said Dolly. "Who's dead?"
Then the butler whispered that Melmotte had swallowed poison during the night.
"It's about what I expected," said Squercum.
