"Suppose you find her--and you must remember, Robert, that though most probable, it is not certain--and she positively refuses to see you? What are you to do? You cannot force yourself into her presence. Suppose she learns your intention, and she is resolved to carry out her purpose, she will fly away again, and then we shall be worse off than before. Be guided by me, Robert; let me go in your stead. If I am to succeed, the pleasure will not be lessened; if I am to fail, better I than you. You can trust me, I know; and you know, in the best case, I only precede you by a few hours; in the worst--well--we won't talk of that beyond saying that you'll bear it better coming through me." These arguments and his own secret despondency induced Robert to consent. He was immeasurably grateful to Yeldham for undertaking the task for him; but he said little. He was "not strong," as he was accustomed to say, and easily upset; so Yeldham got up a great deal of unnecessary bustle and discussion to cover his emotion; and, indeed, on this and some other late occasions the lawyer displayed great womanish tact and affectionate cunning. Yeldham could not go that same evening, and the little delay tried Robert; but he strove to hide his impatience; and his friend seconded the effort, and arranged to leave London on the morrow. A short note from Yeldham to Gordon Frere had informed the latter that Charley was about to start for Paris. He had not time to enter into written explanations, and he greatly desired to secure for Robert during his absence the comfort of Gordon's cheerful companionship and invariably hopeful counsel. So he had merely said, "We have got a clue, a safe one this time, so far as finding the person we want goes, and I am off to follow it up. Can you come up for a day or two? I want to see you before I start." Gordon Frere announced his intention of going to town for a few days, immediately after he received this note; but gave no explanation of its motive. He had dropped into habits of the sort of late; and he and his wife were quite a fashionable couple, independent of each other in all their arrangements, and models of courtesy. Having reached the Temple, he found Yeldham in the midst of a vast confusion of books and papers, and, to his great satisfaction, alone. He had rather expected that Robert would be there to the last moment, clinging to his emissary, and urging upon him superfluous entreaties concerning speed and earnestness.