The forenoon of the next day was devoted to obtaining the license—­the personal distinction of making the declaration on oath being eagerly accepted by Noel Vanstone, who swore, in perfect good faith (on information previously obtained from the captain) that the lady was of age.  The document procured, the bridegroom returned to examine the characters and qualifications of the women-servants out of the place whom the landlady had engaged to summon to the hotel, while Captain Wragge turned his steps, “on business personal to himself,” toward the residence of a friend in a distant quarter of London.

The captain’s friend was connected with the law, and the captain’s business was of a twofold nature.  His first object was to inform himself of the legal bearings of the approaching marriage on the future of the husband and the wife.  His second object was to provide beforehand for destroying all traces of the destination to which he might betake himself when he left Aldborough on the wedding-day.  Having reached his end successfully in both these cases, he returned to the hotel, and found Noel Vanstone nursing his offended dignity in the landlady’s sitting-room.  Three ladies’ maids had appeared to pass their examination, and had all, on coming to the question of wages, impudently declined accepting the place.  A fourth candidate was expected to present herself on the next day; and, until she made her appearance, Noel Vanstone positively declined removing from the metropolis.  Captain Wragge showed his annoyance openly at the unnecessary delay thus occasioned in the return to Aldborough, but without producing any effect.  Noel Vanstone shook his obstinate little head, and solemnly refused to trifle with his responsibilities.

The first event which occurred on Saturday morning was the arrival of Mrs. Lecount’s letter to her master, inclosed in one of the envelopes which the captain had addressed to himself.  He received it (by previous arrangement with the waiter) in his bedroom—­read it with the closest attention—­and put it away carefully in his pocketbook.  The letter was ominous of serious events to come when the housekeeper returned to England; and it was due to Magdalen—­who was the person threatened—­to place the warning of danger in her own possession.

Later in the day the fourth candidate appeared for the maid’s situation—­a young woman of small expectations and subdued manners, who looked (as the landlady remarked) like a person overtaken by misfortune.  She passed the ordeal of examination successfully, and accepted the wages offered with out a murmur.  The engagement having been ratified on both sides, fresh delays ensued, of which Noel Vanstone was once more the cause.  He had not yet made up his mind whether he would, or would not, give more than a guinea for the wedding-ring; and he wasted the rest of the day to such disastrous purpose in one jeweler’s shop after another, that he and the captain, and the new lady’s maid (who