o win it. The
people around him, from old fashion, still called him the young
squire! Why;--he felt himself at times to be eighty years old,--so old
that he was unfitted for intercourse with such juvenile spirits as
those of his neighbour the bishop, and of his friend Hepworth. Could
he, by any training, bring himself to take her happiness in hand,
altogether sacrificing his own?

In such a mood as this he did at last answer his enemy's letter,--and
he answered it as follows:--

I do not know that I am concerned to meddle in your affairs at
all. I have told no tale against you, and I do not know that I
have any that I wish to tell in your favour, or that I could so
tell if I did wish. I think that you have behaved badly to me,
cruelly to Mrs Hurtle, and disrespectfully to my cousin.
Nevertheless, as you appeal to me on a certain point for
evidence which I can give, and which you say no one else can
give, I do acknowledge that, in my opinion, Mrs Hurtle's
presence in England has not been in accordance with your wishes,
and that you accompanied her to Lowestoft, not as her lover but
as an old friend whom you could not neglect.

ROGER CARBURY.

Paul Montague, Esq.

You are at liberty to show this letter to Miss Carbury, if you
please; but if she reads part she should read the whole!

There was more perhaps of hostility in this letter than of that spirit
of self-sacrifice to which Roger intended to train himself; and so he
himself felt after the letter had been dispatched.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII - THE INQUEST

Melmotte had been found dead on Friday morning, and late on the
evening of the same day Madame Melmotte and Marie were removed to
lodgings far away from the scene of the tragedy, up at Hampstead. Herr
Croll had known of the place, and at Lord Nidderdale's instance had
busied himself in the matter, and had seen that the rooms were made
instantly ready for the widow of his late employer. Nidderdale himself
had assisted them in their departure; and the German, with the poor
woman's maid, with the jewels also, which had been packed according to
Melmotte's last orders to his wife, followed the carriage which took
the mother and the daughter. They did not start till nine o'clock in
the evening, and Madame Melmotte at the moment would fain have been
allowed to rest one other night in Bruton Street. But Lord Nidderdale,
with one hardly uttered word, made Marie und