If everything could have been prevailed upon to work as he intended it should, Mr. Forde would have been comparatively at ease; but edged tools have sometimes a knack of cutting those who play with them, and already one of Mr. Forde's tools had inflicted upon him a nasty wound.
"I will go round to Basinghall Street," he said almost aloud, as though some balm of Gilead might be extracted even from Salisbury House, and he went round to find Mr. Swanland out, Mr. Asherill urbane and unctuous as ever.
Deriving little consolation from his unsatisfactory interview with the latter gentleman, he walked on to Kleinwort's office, only to find him absent also, and the time of his return uncertain.
Then, because he was able to think of no other person to whom he could speak on the subject, he turned into Werner's counting-house.
As usual, Mr. Werner was within and visible.
"Have you seen the 'Times'?" asked Mr. Forde, after the first greetings were exchanged.
"Yes," was the short reply.
"Were you not surprised?"