Then Bollum gave him an address,—­not the place at which he resided, but a certain coffee-house in the City, at which he was accustomed to make appointments.  ‘And don’t you see any lawyer,’ said Bollum, shaking his finger.  ’You can’t do any good that way.  It stands to reason that no lawyer would let you pay twenty thousand pounds to get out of any scrape.  He and you have different legs to stand upon.’  Then Mr. Bollum went away, and was driven back in his gig to the Cambridge Hotel.

As soon as the front door was closed Hester hurried down to her husband, whom she found still in the hall.  He took her into his own room, and told her everything that had passed,—­everything, as accurately as he could.  ‘And remember,’ he said, ’though I do not owe them money, that I feel bound by my conscience to refund them so much.  I should do it, now I know the circumstances, if no charge had been brought against me.’

‘They have perjured themselves, and have been so wicked.’

‘Yes, they have been very wicked.’

‘Let them come and speak the truth, and then let them have the money.’

‘They will not do that, Hester.’

‘Prove them to be liars, and then give it to them.’

‘My own girl, I am thinking of you.’

’And I of you.  Shall it be said of you that you bought off those who had dared to say that your wife was not your wife?  I would not do that.  What if the people in the Court should believe what they say?’

‘It would be bad for you, then, dearest.’

’But I should still be your wife.  And baby would still be your own, own honest boy.  I am sometimes unhappy, but I am never afraid.  Let the devil do his worst, but never speak him fair.  I would scorn them till it is all over.  Then, if money be due to them, let them have it.’  As she said this, she had drawn herself a little apart from him,—­a little away from the arm which had been round her waist, and was looking him full in the face.  Never before, even during the soft happiness of their bridal tour, had she seemed to him to be so handsome.

But her faith, her courage, and her beauty did not alter the circumstances of the case.  Because she trusted him, he was not the less afraid of the jury who would have to decide, or of the judge, who, with stern eyes, would probably find himself compelled to tell the jury that the evidence against the prisoner was overwhelming.  In choosing what might be best to be done on her account, he could not allow himself to be guided by her spirit.  The possibility that the whole gang of them might be made to vanish was present to his mind.  Nor could he satisfy himself that in doing as had been proposed to him he would be speaking the devil fair.  He would be paying money which he ought to pay, and would perhaps be securing his wife’s happiness.

He had promised, at any rate, that he would see the man in London on the morrow, and that he would see him alone.  But he had not promised not to speak on the subject to his attorney.  Therefore, after much thought, he wrote to Mr. Seely to make an appointment for the next morning, and then told his wife that he would have to go to London on the following day.