I answer again that you never knew Mark. He was being
what he wished most to be--an artist. No Othello ever blacked
himself all over with such enthusiasm as did Mark. His beard was
going anyhow--possible a chance remark of Miss Norbury's helped
here. She did not like beards. But it was important for me that
the dead man's hands should not be the hands of a manicured
gentleman. Five minutes playing upon the vanity of the artist
settled his hands. He let the nails grow and then cut them
raggedly. 'Miss Norris would notice your hands at once,' I had
said. 'Besides, as an artist--'
"So with his underclothes. It was hardly necessary to warn him
that his pants might show above the edge of his socks; as an
artist he had already decided upon Robertian pants. I bought
them, and other things, in London for him. Even if I had not cut
out all trace of the maker's name, he would instinctively have
done it. As an Australian and an artist, he could not have an
East London address on his underclothes. Yes, we were doing the
thing thoroughly, both of us; he as an artist, I as a--well, you
may say murderer, if you like.
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