They reached Whitehall, and were conducted upstairs to a gentleman of pleasant aspect but powerful brow, seated in a wilderness of letters.
He waved his hand, and a clerk set them chairs: he soon after laid down his pen, and leaned gravely forward to hear their business. They saw they must waste no time; Julia looked at her mother, rose, and took Alfred's missive to his desk, and handed it him with one of her eloquent looks, grave and pitiful. He seemed struck by her beauty and her manner.
“It was pinned on my parasol, sir, by a poor prisoner at Drayton House,” said Mrs. Dodd.
“Oh, indeed,” said the gentleman, and began to read the superscription with a cold and wary look. But thawed visibly as he read. He opened the missive and ran his eye over it. The perusal moved him not a little: a generous flush mounted to his brow; he rang the bell sharply. A clerk answered it; the gentleman wrote on a slip of paper, and said earnestly, “Bring me every letter that is signed with that name, and all our correspondence about him.”
He then turned to Mrs. Dodd, and put to her a few questions, which drew out the main facts I have just related. The papers were now brought in. “Excuse me a moment,” said he, and ran over them. “I believe the man is sane,” said he, “and that you will have enabled us to baffle a conspiracy, a heartless conspiracy.”
“We do hope he will be set free, sir,” said Mrs. Dodd piteously.
“He shall, madam, if it is as I suspect. I will stay here all night but I will master this case; and lay it before the Board myself without delay.”
Julia looked at her mother, and then asked if it would be wrong to inquire “the poor gentleman's name?”
“Humph!” said the official; “I ought not to reveal that without his consent. But stay! he will owe you much, and it really seems a pity he should not have an opportunity of expressing his gratitude. Perhaps you will favour me with your address: and trust to my discretion. Of course, if he does not turn out as sane as he seems, I shall never let him know it.”
Mrs. Dodd then gave her address; and she and Julia went home with a glow about the heart selfish people, thank Heaven, never know.