"A very pretty figure, but not applicable," replied Mr. Bond. "All the other gentlemen have trusted to Mr. Tracy's catching me, and so his passport is, as the French say, valable for the present."
"I shall take care, at all events," said Chandos, "to make this matter generally known when I reach London."
"Now that is not fair, that is not fair," said Mr. Bond. "But I will be beforehand with you; and, as I think our business is concluded, I will go and pack up my trunk. Good morning, Mr. Winslow; good morning, gentlemen all."
Chandos did not deign to make any reply; but, taking the papers from Faber, walked out of the house.
The little boy, Tim, was found in the garden, near the gate, which he had burst open; for the proximity of Mr. Bond's strapping maidservant did not seem pleasant to him.
"Have you got it? have you got it?" cried the boy. And when Chandos, patting him on the head, answered in the affirmative, he clapped his little hands with joy, exclaiming, "I will run and tell my mother; she will be so glad!"
"I will go with you, Tim," said Chandos; "for she must take you home to Northferry. All my plans are altered by this morning's work, Lockwood; and I must speed up to London without delay. I will be down, however, to-morrow or the day after, for a new light has broken upon me in an instant, which I think may lead to great results. I wish to Heaven I could see the memorandum which poor Roberts found."
"I can show it you, Sir," said Faber; "for by his direction I took a copy of it, and have got it in my pocket-book."
It was produced in a moment, and, still standing in the open space before the cottage, Chandos read it attentively.
"Were these initials at the end copied accurately?" he said, turning to Faber, and pointing to some capital letters written under his father's name.