On an evening shrouded in the customary murk and wreathed in tobacco haze, I found myself ensconced in the subterranean retreat of the establishment—a chamber designated for masculine conviviality and repose, possessing a degree of comfort quite surprising given the abode's air of declined grandeur. It was here that I first chanced upon the murmurs surrounding the enigmatic figure known as Colonel Forbes. Engaged in conversation were two men, long-tenured guests of the house, whose familiarity with its history and habitués rendered their dialogue particularly intriguing.