Caldigate had so far conquered his own feelings of abasement as to be able to say this with a determined face, looking straight into the attorney’s eyes, at any rate without sign of fear.

‘It wants thinking about,’ said Robert Bolton.

’To-morrow the baby is to be christened, and for Hester’s sake I will endeavour to put this matter aside;—­but on Wednesday I must know.’

’On Wednesday morning I will answer your question.  But what if this man comes to me in the meantime?’

’Listen to him or speak to him, just as seems good to you.  You know everything that there is to tell, and may therefore know whether he lies or speaks the truth.’

Then Caldigate went to the inn, got his horse, and rode back to Folking.

Chapter XXVII

The Christening

The next day was the day of the christening.  Caldigate, on his return home from Cambridge, had felt himself doomed to silence.  He could not now at this moment tell his wife that the man had come,—­the man who would doubtless work her such terrible misery.  She was very strong.  She had gone through the whole little event of her baby’s birth quite as well as could be expected, and had been just what all her friends might have wished her to be.  But that this blow had fallen upon her,—­but that these ill news had wounded her,—­she would now have been triumphant.  Her mother was at last coming to her.  Her husband was all that a husband should be.  Her baby was, to her thinking, sweeter, brighter, more satisfactory than any other baby ever had been.  But the first tidings had been told to her.  She had seen the letter signed ’Euphemia Caldigate’; and of course she was ill at ease.  Knowing how vexatious the matter was to her husband, she had spoken of it but seldom,—­having asked but a question now and again when the matter pressed itself too severely on her mind.  He understood it all, both her reticence and her sufferings.  Her sufferings must of course be increased.  She must know before long that Crinkett, and probably the woman also, were in her neighbourhood.  But he could not tell her now when she was preparing her baby for his ceremony in the church.

The bells were rung, and the baby was prepared, and Mrs. Bolton came out to Folking according to her promise.  Though Robert was not there, many of the Boltons were present, as was also Uncle Babington.  He had come over on the preceding evening, making on this occasion his first journey to Folking since his wife’s sister had died; and the old squire was there in very good humour, though he excused himself from going to the church by explaining that as he had no duty to perform he would only be in the way amongst them all.  Daniel and Mrs. Bolton had also been at Folking that night, and had then for the first time been brought into contact with the Babington grandeur.  The party had been almost gay, the old squire having taken