“The assistant’s you picked up on the sly behind my back.”

Renouard made a slight movement of impatience.

“I met him unexpectedly one evening.  I thought he would do as well as another.  He had come from up country and didn’t seem happy in a town.  He told me his name was Walter.  I did not ask him for proofs, you know.”

“I don’t think you get on very well with him.”

“Why?  What makes you think so.”

“I don’t know.  Something reluctant in your manner when he’s in question.”

“Really.  My manner!  I don’t think he’s a great subject for conversation, perhaps.  Why not drop him?”

“Of course!  You wouldn’t confess to a mistake.  Not you.  Nevertheless I have my suspicions about it.”

Renouard got up to go, but hesitated, looking down at the seated Editor.

“How funny,” he said at last with the utmost seriousness, and was making for the door, when the voice of his friend stopped him.

“You know what has been said of you?  That you couldn’t get on with anybody you couldn’t kick.  Now, confess—­is there any truth in the soft impeachment?”

“No,” said Renouard.  “Did you print that in your paper.”

“No.  I didn’t quite believe it.  But I will tell you what I believe.  I believe that when your heart is set on some object you are a man that doesn’t count the cost to yourself or others.  And this shall get printed some day.”

“Obituary notice?” Renouard dropped negligently.

“Certain—­some day.”

“Do you then regard yourself as immortal?”

“No, my boy.  I am not immortal.  But the voice of the press goes on for ever. . . .  And it will say that this was the secret of your great success in a task where better men than you—­meaning no offence—­did fail repeatedly.”

“Success,” muttered Renouard, pulling-to the office door after him with considerable energy.  And the letters of the word private like a row of white eyes seemed to stare after his back sinking down the staircase of that temple of publicity.

Renouard had no doubt that all the means of publicity would be put at the service of love and used for the discovery of the loved man.  He did not wish him dead.  He did not wish him any harm.  We are all equipped with a fund of humanity which is not exhausted without many and repeated provocations—­and this man had done him no evil.  But before Renouard had left old Dunster’s house, at the conclusion of the call he made there that very afternoon, he had discovered in himself the desire that the search might last long.  He never really flattered himself that it might fail.  It seemed to him that there was no other course in this world for himself, for all mankind, but resignation.  And he could not help thinking that Professor Moorsom had arrived at the same conclusion too.