Mr. Bagwax went away to his own lodging exulting,—­but more than ever resolved that the journey to Sydney was unnecessary.  As usual, he spent a large portion of that afternoon in contemplating the envelopes; and then, as he was doing so, another idea struck him,—­an idea which made him tear his hairs with disgust because it had not occurred to him before.  There was now opened to him a new scope of inquiry, an altogether different matter of evidence.  But the idea was by far too important to be brought in and explained at the fag-end of a chapter.

Chapter XLIX

All the Shands

There had been something almost approaching to exultation at Babington when the tidings of Caldigate’s alleged Australian wife were first heard there.  As the anger had been great that Julia should be rejected, so had the family congratulation been almost triumphant when the danger which had been escaped was appreciated.  There had been something of the same feeling at Pollington among the Shands—­who had no doubt allowed themselves to think that Maria had been ill-treated by John Caldigate.  He ought to have married Maria,—­at least such was the opinion of the ladies of the family, who were greatly impressed with the importance of the little book which had been carried away.  But in regard to the Australian marriage, they had differed among themselves.  That Maria should have escaped the terrible doom which had befallen Mrs. Bolton’s daughter, was, of course, a source of comfort.  But Maria herself would never believe the evil story.  John Caldigate had not been—­well, perhaps not quite true to her.  So much she acknowledged gently with the germ of a tear in her eye.  But she was quite sure that he would not have married Hester Bolton while another wife was living in Australia.  She arose almost to enthusiasm as she vindicated his character from so base a stain.  He had been, perhaps, a little unstable in his affections,—­as men are so commonly.  But not even when the jury found their verdict, could she be got to believe that the John Caldigate whom she had known would have betrayed a girl whom he loved as he was supposed to have betrayed Hester Bolton.  The mother and sisters, who knew the softness of Maria’s disposition,—­and who had been more angry than their sister with the man who had been wicked enough to carry away Thomson’s ‘Seasons’ in his portmanteau without marrying the girl who had put it there,—­would not agree to this.  The verdict, at any rate, was a verdict.  John Caldigate was in prison.  The poor young woman with her infant was a nameless, unfortunate creature.  All this might have happened to their Maria.  ‘I should always have believed him innocent,’ said Maria, wiping away the germ of the tear with her knuckle.