Merthyr’s name was shouted first on his return to England by Mrs. Chump.  He was waiting on the platform of the London station for the train to take him to Richford, when, “Oh!  Mr. Pow’s, Mr. Pow’s!” resounded, and Mrs. Chump fluttered before him.  She was on her way to Brookfield, she said; and it was, she added, her firm belief that heaven had sent him to her sad, not deeming “that poor creature, Mr. Braintop, there, sufficient for the purpose.  For what I’ve got to go through, among them at Brookfield, Mr. Pow’s, it’s perf’ctly awful.  Mr. Braintop,” she turned to the youth, “you may go now.  And don’t go takin’ ship and sailin’ for Italy after the little Belloni, for ye haven’t a chance—­poor fella! though he combs ’s hair so careful, Mr. Pow’s, and ye might almost laugh and cry together to see how humble he is, and audacious too—­all in a lump.  For, when little Belloni was in the ship, ye know, and she thinkin’, ‘not one of my friends near to wave a handkerchief!’ behold, there’s that boy Braintop just as by maguc, and he wavin’ his best, which is a cambric, and a present from myself, and precious wet that night, ye might swear; for the quiet lovers, Mr. Pow’s, they cry, they do, buckutsful!”

“And is Miss Belloni gone?” said Merthyr, looking steadily for answer.

“To be sure, sir, she has; but have ye got a squeak of pain?  Oh, dear! it makes my blood creep to see a man who’s been where there’s been firing of shots in a temper.  Ye’re vary pale, sir.”

“She went—­on what day?” asked Merthyr.

“Oh!  I can’t poss’bly tell ye that, Mr. Pow’s, havin’ affairs of my own most urrgent.  But, Mr. Paricles has got her at last.  That’s certain.  Gall’ns of tears has poor Mr. Braintop cried over it, bein’ one of the mew-in-a-corner sort of young men, ye know, what never win the garl, but cry enough to float her and the lucky fella too, and off they go, and he left on the shore.”

Merthyr looked impatiently out of the window.  His wounds throbbed and his forehead was moist.

“With Mr. Pericles?” he queried, while Mrs. Chump was giving him the reasons for the immediate visit to Brookfield.

“They’re cap’tal friends again, ye know, Mr. Pow’s, Mr. Paricles and Pole; and Pole’s quite set up, and yesterday mornin’ sends me two thousand pounds—­not a penny less! and ye’ll believe me, I was in a stiff gape for five minutes when Mr. Braintop shows the money.  What a temptation for the young man!  But Pole didn’t know his love for little Belloni.”

“Has she no one with her?” Merthyr seized the opportunity of her name being pronounced to get clear tidings of her, if possible.