That was the era of the lushly scored costume poperetta (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Miss Saigon,” “Les Misérables”), staged like Cecil B. DeMille epics and usually overseen by the Mike Todd-ish producer Cameron Mackintosh.

Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ […].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it.

Is he married? Ay, but his wife's away the noo, visitin' wi' friends in Edinbro'. I believe they du not get on so verra well tegither. Who, Ferguson and Campbell? No, no, Ferguson and Mrs. Ferguson. But the ither's true, too. I wonder if there is a single person in the Stewartry that Campbell didn't have a row with, thought Wimsey, and made an addition to his list:-

1. John Ferguson-about 36-about 5 foot 10 inches-grass widower

The large pauldrons covering the shoulders are of different shape, with a couple of lobster-tail plates added above as épaulières.