How much better, he was saying to himself, not to have told Mrs. Ormonde I That would have been a greater folly than anything yet.  No irreparable harm was as yet done; to confess a mere state of mind would have been to fill his friend with fears wholly groundless, and to fix a lasting torture in his own memory.  It would have been to render impossible any future work in Lambeth.  Yet upon the continuance of such work practically depended Grail’s future.  To Gilbert Grail he had solemn duties to perform.  Henceforth the scope of his efforts would be lessened; instead of exerting himself for a vague populace, it would really be for Grail alone that he worked.  Grail he must and would aid to the end.  It was a task worthy of a man who was not satisfied with average aims.  He would crush this tyrannous passion in his heart, cost him what struggle it might, and the reward would be a noble one.

He rose at length with a haggard face.  It was long past the hour at which he usually took his mid-day meal, and he had no appetite for food.  He went to a restaurant, however, and made pretence of eating; thence into the smoking-room, where he spent the time till five o’clock, drinking coffee and reading papers.  His only object now was to kill time.

At half-past eight he was in Lambeth.  He knew Bunce’s address, but had never before been in Newport Street.  It was his habit to discover places by the aid of a map alone, and, thus guided, he found the house.

Totty Nancarrow happened to be on the stairs when he knocked; she had just come in.  She ran down to the door.  Egremont inquired for Bunce, and was told he was not at home, and would not be till very late.

‘Do you know when I could be sure to find him here?’

‘Yes,’ replied Totty, who was able to guess at Egremont’s identity, and examined him with some interest.  ’He’ll be here to-morrow after eight.  He’s on a job in Hammersmith, working late.  But to-morrow’s the last day, and he’s sure to be back by eight o’clock.’

‘He leaves early in the morning, I suppose?’

‘At half-past five.’

’Thank you.  I will call to-morrow evening.  Gould you let him know that, from Mr. Egremont?  I wish to see him particularly.’

‘I’ll let him know, sir.’

This was a mishap.  It would necessitate another whole day in London.

He called upon Mrs. Ormonde next morning, at the hotel which it was her wont to use when in town for a day or two.  At first she was strongly opposed to his waiting just on this account.

‘I cannot go till I have done this for you,’ he said firmly.  ’I shall see Bunce to-night, and go away to-morrow.  You must let me have my way in this.’

And he desired to remain for a weightier reason than the apparent one.  It was this morning, Wednesday, that Thyrza would expect to find him at the library.  She must be disappointed, and he would prove to himself that he was yet strong enough to resist, that he had not so lost self-control that his only safety lay in flight.