h the interference of
her relatives and friends? Or toward making the information which I
possessed a marketable commodity between the wealthy branch of the
family and myself? The last of the three was the alternative I had
chosen in the case of the father. I chose it once more in the case of
the son.

The train started for London nearly four hours since, and took her away
in it, accompanied by Mrs. Wragge.

My wife is too great a fool, poor soul, to be actively valuable in the
present emergency; but she will be passively useful in keeping up
Miss Vanstone's connection with me--and, in consideration of that
circumstance, I consent to brush my own trousers, shave my own chin, and
submit to the other inconveniences of waiting on myself for a limited
period. Any faint glimmerings of sense which Mrs. Wragge may have
formerly possessed appear to have now finally taken their leave of her.
On receiving permission to go to London, she favored us immediately
with two inquiries. Might she do some shopping? and might she leave the
cookery-book behind her? Miss Vanstone said Yes to one question, and I
said Yes to the other--and from that moment, Mrs. Wragge has existed in
a state of perpetual laughter. I am still hoarse with vainly repeated
applications of vocal stimulant; and I left her in the railway carriage,
to my inexpressible disgust, with _both_ shoes down at heel.

Under ordinary circumstances these absurd particulars would not have
dwelt on my memory. But, as matters actually stand, my unfortunate
wife's imbecility may, in her present position, lead to consequences
which we none of us foresee. She is nothing more or less than a grown-up
child; and I can plainly detect that Miss Vanstone trusts her, as she
would not have trusted a sharper woman, on that very account. I know
children, little and big, rather better than my fair relative does; and
I say--beware of all forms of human innocence, when it happens to be
your interest to keep a secret to yourself.

Let me return to business. Here I am, at two o'clock on a fine summer's
afternoon, left entirely alone, to consider the safest means of
approaching Mr. Noel Vanstone on my own account. My private suspicions
of his miserly character produce no discouraging effect on me. I have
extracted cheering pecuniary results in my time from people quite as
fond of their money as he can be. The real difficulty to contend with is
the obstacle of Mrs. Lecount. If I am not mistaken, t