"No, sir, he must not enter any man's house unless he is called in, it would be breaking the law."
"Then he must wait till murder is committed before interfering."
"Well, you see, sir, little rows and things cannot be interfered with unless one of the parties asks for help."
"It seems to me," said Paul, driven nearly to despair, "that the laws all round want a good deal of amendment."
"Perhaps so, sir, I'm sure I cannot say, but I have to see that my men do their duty, and that they do not exceed it."
Paul went back to tell Grace that the man on the beat was to be at hand, and it did not occur to her fortunately to ask what good being at hand would do for Margaret. But she had found out through the landlady that if two doctors declared Mr. Drayton to be mad, they could get a magistrate's order and have him put under restraint.
"After all, you have done a great deal more than I have done; I have wasted my day, and done nothing," said poor Paul, who was fairly tired out. Grace did not contradict him; so far from thinking she had done much she felt as though all the real effort, all the great trial, had yet to come.
She awaited with impatience the arrival of the doctor, turning over in her own mind after her usual fashion what she should say and how she should say it.
On his arrival he was surprised to find her sitting up when he had imagined her very ill; he stopped short, and gazed at her a little helplessly—what did she want with him?
As may be remembered, he had not been accustomed to much beauty, and was always on his guard against being influenced by it in an undue manner.