That conversation had taken place on a Friday, and on the following Sunday, early in the day, he left his rooms after a late breakfast,—­a prolonged breakfast, during which he had been studying tenant-right statistics, preparing his own speech, and endeavouring to look forward into the future which that speech was to do so much to influence,—­and turned his face towards Park Lane.  There had been a certain understanding between him and Madame Goesler that he was to call in Park Lane on this Sunday morning, and then declare to her what was his final resolve as to the office which he held.  “It is simply to bid her adieu,” he said to himself, “for I shall hardly see her again.”  And yet, as he took off his morning easy coat, and dressed himself for the streets, and stood for a moment before his looking-glass, and saw that his gloves were fresh and that his boots were properly polished, I think there was a care about his person which he would have hardly taken had he been quite assured that he simply intended to say good-bye to the lady whom he was about to visit.  But if there were any such conscious feeling, he administered to himself an antidote before he left the house.  On returning to the sitting-room he went to a little desk from which he took out the letter from Mary which the reader has seen, and carefully perused every word of it.  “She is the best of them all,” he said to himself, as he refolded the letter and put it back into his desk.  I am not sure that it is well that a man should have any large number from whom to select a best; as, in such circumstances, he is so very apt to change his judgment from hour to hour.  The qualities which are the most attractive before dinner sometimes become the least so in the evening.

The morning was warm, and he took a cab.  It would not do that he should speak even his last farewell to such a one as Madame Goesler with all the heat and dust of a long walk upon him.  Having been so careful about his boots and gloves he might as well use his care to the end.  Madame Goesler was a very pretty woman, who spared herself no trouble in making herself as pretty as Nature would allow, on behalf of those whom she favoured with her smiles; and to such a lady some special attention was due by one who had received so many of her smiles as had Phineas.  And he felt, too, that there was something special in this very visit.  It was to be made by appointment, and there had come to be an understanding between them that Phineas should tell her on this occasion what was his resolution with reference to his future life.  I think that he had been very wise in fortifying himself with a further glance at our dear Mary’s letter, before he trusted himself within Madame Goesler’s door.