When the Deputy pointed out Jasper’s, first Dickens wrote ‘“Indeed?” said Mr. Datchery, with an appearance of interest.’ Then he wrote: ‘“Indeed?” said Mr. Datchery, with a second look of some interest.’ Then he struck out the sentence entirely. Dickens also struck out the sentence which describes Datchery after the Deputy left him: ‘Mr. Datchery, taking off his hat to give that shock of white hair of his another shake, seemed quite resigned, and betook himself whither he had been directed.’ He also struck out the passage in which Mrs. Tope and Datchery talk of what occurred last winter: Perhaps Mr. Datchery had heard something of what had occurred there last winter? Mr. Datchery had as confused a knowledge of the event in question, on trying to recall it, as he well could have. He begged Mrs. Tope’s pardon when she found it incumbent on her to correct him in every detail of his summary of the facts, but pleaded that he was merely a single buffer getting through life upon his means as idly as he could, and that so many people were so constantly making away with so many other people as to render it difficult for a buffer of an easy temper to preserve the circumstances of the several cases unmixed in his mind. Nearly all the conversation between the Mayor and Datchery is deleted. See page 9. Also Dickens erases the little talk between the Deputy and Datchery beginning: ‘Master Deputy, what do you owe me?’ See page 11. It may not be possible to deduce any assured inference from these omissions, but they are worth pondering, and may be referred to again. CHAPTER VII—OTHER THEORIES THE DROOD-DATCHERY THEORY