‘No foreign climes now, Mr. Bagwax.’

‘I suppose not, Sir John,’ said the hero, mournfully

‘Not if this be true.’

’It’s gospel, Sir John;—­gospel.  They might send me out to set that office to rights.  Things must be very wrong when they could get hold of a date-stamp and use it in that way.  There must be one of the gang in the office.’

‘A bribe did it, I should say.’

’I could find it out, Sir John.  Let me alone for that.  You could say that you have found me—­quick-like in this matter;—­couldn’t you, Sir John?’ Bagwax was truly happy in the love of Jemima Curlydown; but the idea of earning two hundred pounds for furniture, and of seeing distant climes at the same time, had taken a strong hold of his imagination.

’I am afraid I should have no voice in the matter,—­unless with the view of getting evidence.’

‘And we’ve got that;—­haven’t we, Sir John?’

‘I think so.’

‘Duty, Sir John, duty!’ said Bagwax, almost sobbing through his triumph.

‘That’s it, Mr. Bagwax.’  Sir John too had given up his partridges,—­for a day or two.

‘And that gentleman will now be restored to his wife?’

’It isn’t for me to say.  As you and I have been engaged on the same side——­’ To be told that he had been on the same side with the late attorney-general was almost compensation to Bagwax for the loss of his journey.  ’As you and I have been on the same side, I don’t mind telling you that I think that he ought to be released.  The matter remains with the Secretary of State, who will probably be guided by the judge who tried the case.’

‘A stern man, Sir John.’

’Not soft-hearted, Mr. Bagwax,—­but as conscientious a man as you’ll be able to put your hand upon.  The young wife with her nameless baby won’t move him at all.  But were he moved by such consideration he would be so far unfit for his office.’

‘Mercy is divine,’ said Bagwax.

’And therefore unfit to be used by a merely human judge.  You know, I suppose, that Richard Shand has come home?’

‘No!’

‘Indeed he has, and was with me a day or two since.’

‘Can he say anything?’ Bagwax was not rejoiced at Dick’s opportune return.  He thoroughly wished that Caldigate should be liberated, but he wished himself to monopolise the glory of the work.

’He says a great deal.  He has sworn point-blank that there was no such marriage at the time named.  He and Caldigate were living together then, and for some weeks afterwards, and the woman was never near them during the time.’

‘To think of his coming just now!’

’It will be a great help, Mr. Bagwax; but it wouldn’t be enough alone.  He might possibly—­tell an untruth.’

‘Perjury on the other side, as it were.’

‘Just that.  But this little queen’s-head here can’t be untrue.’

‘No, Sir John, no; that can’t be,’ said Bagwax, comforted; ’and the dated impression can’t lie either.  The envelope is what’ll do it after all.’