But how much would have to be endured before that!  Robert Bolton had almost threatened to take his wife away from him.  No one could take his wife away from him,—­unless, indeed, the law were to say that she was not his wife.  But how would it be with him if she herself, under the influence of her family, were to wish to leave him!  The law no doubt would give him the custody of his own wife, till the law had said that she was not his wife.  But could he keep her if she asked him to let her go?  And should she be made to doubt,—­should her mind be so troubled as it would be should she once be taught to think it possible that she had been betrayed,—­would she not then want to go from him?  Would it not be probable that she would doubt when she should be told that this woman had been called by her husband’s name in Australia, and when he should be unable to deny that he had admitted, or at least had not contradicted, the appellation?

On a sudden, when he turned away from the street leading to Chesterton as he came out of the College, he resolved that he would at once go back to Robert Bolton.  The man was offensive, suspicious and self-willed; but, nevertheless, his good services, if they could be secured, would be all-important.  For his wife’s sake, as Caldigate said to himself,—­for his wife’s sake he must bear much.  ’I have come to tell you something that has occurred since I was here just now,’ said Caldigate, meeting his brother-in-law at the door of the office.  ’Would you mind coming back?’

‘I am rather in a hurry.’

‘It is of importance, and you had better hear it,’ said Caldigate, leading the way imperiously to the inner room.  ’It is for your sister’s sake.  That man Crinkett is in Cambridge.’

‘In Cambridge?’

‘I saw him just now.’

‘And spoke to him?’ the attorney asked.

’No.  I passed him; and I do not know even whether he recognised me.  But he is here, in Cambridge.’

‘And the woman?’

‘I have told you all that I know.  He has not come here for nothing.’

‘Probably not,’ said the attorney, with a scornful smile.  ’You will hear of him before long.’

’Of course I shall.  I have come to you now to ask a question.  I must put my case at once into a lawyer’s hands.  Crinkett, no doubt, will commit perjury and I must undergo the annoyance and expense of proving him to be a perjurer.  She probably is here also, and will be ready to commit perjury.  Of course I must have a lawyer.  Will you act for me?’

‘I will act for my sister.’

’Your sister and I are one; and I am obliged, therefore, to ask again whether you will act for me?  Of course I should prefer it.  Though you are, I think, hard to me in this matter, I can trust you implicitly.  It will be infinitely better for Hester that it should be so.  But I must have some lawyer.’

‘And so must she.’

’Hers and mine must be the same.  As to that I will not admit any question.  Can you undertake to fight this matter on my behalf,—­and on hers?  If you feel absolutely hostile to me you had better decline.  For myself, I cannot understand why there should be such hostility.’