The Talleyrand Maxim

Linford Pratt had once during one of his visits to the town Reference Library, lighted on a maxim of that other unscrupulous person, Prince Talleyrand: "With time and patience the mulberry leaf is turned into satin." This seemed to Linford Pratt one of the finest and soundest pieces of wisdom which he had ever known put into words.
"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!" "You're sure he is dead? -- not fainting?" asked Eldrick. "He's dead, sir -- quite dead," replied Pratt. "I've rung up Dr. Melrose -- he'll be here in a minute or two -- and the Town Hall -- the police -- as well. Will you look at him, sir?"