and began to examine the lock. This he did very carefully and
satisfied himself that there was 'no sign of violence.' 'Whoever has
done it, did it very well,' said Bideawhile.

'Of course Melmotte did it,' said Dolly Longestaffe standing
immediately over Bideawhile's shoulder.

At that moment there was a knock at the door,--a very distinct, and,
we may say, a formal knock. There are those who knock and immediately
enter without waiting for the sanction asked. Had he who knocked done
so on this occasion Mr Bideawhile would have been found still on his
knees, with his nose down to the level of the keyhole. But the
intruder did not intrude rapidly, and the lawyer jumped on to his
feet, almost upsetting Dolly with the effort. There was a pause,
during which Mr Bideawhile moved away from the table,--as he might
have done had he been picking a lock;--and then Mr Longestaffe bade the
stranger come in with a sepulchral voice. The door was opened, and Mr
Melmotte appeared.

Now Mr Melmotte's presence certainly had not been expected. It was
known that it was his habit to be in the City at this hour. It was
known also that he was well aware that this meeting was to be held in
this room at this special hour,--and he might well have surmised with
what view. There was now declared hostility between both the
Longestaffes and Mr Melmotte, and it certainly was supposed by all the
gentlemen concerned that he would not have put himself out of the way
to meet them on this occasion. 'Gentlemen,' he said, 'perhaps you
think that I am intruding at the present moment.' No one said that he
did not think so. The elder Longestaffe simply bowed very coldly. Mr
Bideawhile stood upright and thrust his thumbs into his waistcoat
pockets. Dolly, who at first forgot to take his hat off, whistled a
bar, and then turned a pirouette on his heel. That was his mode of
expressing his thorough surprise at the appearance of his debtor. 'I
fear that you do think I am intruding,' said Melmotte, 'but I trust
that what I have to say will be held to excuse me. I see, sir,' he
said, turning to Mr Longestaffe, and glancing at the still open
drawer, 'that you have been examining your desk. I hope that you will
be more careful in locking it than you were when you left it before.'

'The drawer was locked when I left it,' said Mr Longestaffe. 'I make
no deductions and draw no conclusions, but the drawer was locked.'

'Then I should say it must have been locked when