"A week or so will make no difference. But I am afraid it will take more time than that to induce her to consent. The difficulty which has troubled me more than any other is to get her to Bellevue. She tells Dido that she will not go alive. She fears Jaspar more than she does me, and rightly suspects that if she yields she will have to encounter both. She has not seen me since the row at the wood-yard, and I intend to transact all business with her through De Guy."
"She is a difficult case," suggested Vernon, to fill up a pause in Maxwell's speech.
"Now, it has occurred to me," continued Maxwell, "that you could manage her like a young lamb."
"I!" exclaimed Vernon.
"Certainly. You stand well with her, do you not?"
"Like a saint."
"You can get up a rescue, or something of that sort, you know."
"To be sure," replied Vernon, thoughtfully.
"Pretend that you are going to effect her escape."
"Capital!" said Vernon, suddenly; "I will pretend to effect her escape. But there is one difficulty—" and he suddenly checked his apparent zeal, and assumed a thoughtful air.