The Problem of 'Edwin Drood' Part 2

'_A watch_?' _repeated Mr. Grewgious musingly_.

'_I entertain a sort of fancy for having him under my eye to-night_, _do you know_?'

In Chapter XVIII.

'_indeed_, _I have no doubt that we could suit you that far_, _however particular you might be_.

_with a general impression on his mind that Mrs. Tope's was somewhere very near it_, _and that_, _like the children in the game of hot boiled beans and very good b.u.t.ter_, _he was warm in his search when he saw the Tower_, _and cold when he didn't see it_.

_He was getting very cold indeed when_. '_Until_' _is put in here_.

'_Indeed_?' _said Mr. Datchery_, _with a second look of some interest_.

_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_.

_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 inc.u.mbent 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 circ.u.mstances of the several cases unmixed in his mind_.

'_Might I ask His Honour_,' _said Mr. Datchery_, '_whether that gentleman we have just left is the gentleman of whom I have heard in the neighbourhood as being much afflicted by the loss of a nephew_, _and concentrating his life on avenging the loss_?'

'_That is the gentleman_. _John Jasper_, _sir_.'

'_Would His Honour allow me to inquire whether there are strong suspicions of any one_?'

'_More than suspicions_, _sir_,' _returned Mr. Sapsea_; '_all but certainties_.'

'_Only think now_!' _cried Mr. Datchery_.

'_But proof_, _sir_, _proof must be built up stone by stone_,' _said the Mayor_. '_As I say_, _the end crowns the work_. _It is not enough that Justice should be morally certain_; _she must be immorally certain-legally_, _that is_.'

'_His Honour_,' _said Mr. Datchery_, '_reminds me of the nature of the law_. _Immoral_. _How true_!'

'_As I say_, _sir_,' _pompously went on the Mayor_, '_the arm of the law is a strong arm_, _and a long arm_. _That is the way I put it_.

_A strong arm and a long arm_.'

'_How forcible_!-_And yet_, _again_, _how true_!' _murmured Mr.

Datchery_.

'_And without betraying what I call the secrets of the prison-house_,' _said Mr. Sapsea_; '_the secrets of the prison-house is the term I used on the bench_.'

'_And what other term than His Honour's would express it_?' _said Mr.

Datchery_.

'_Without_, _I say_, _betraying them_, _I predict to you_, _knowing the iron will of the gentleman we have just left_ (_I take the bold step of calling it __iron_, _on account of its strength_), _that in this case the long arm will reach_, _and the strong arm will strike_.

_This is our Cathedral_, _sir_. _The best judges are pleased to admire it_, _and the best among our townsmen own to being a little vain of it_.'

_All this time Mr. Datchery had walked with his hat under his arm_, _and his white hair streaming_.

In the next sentence the word _now_ is struck out.

'He had an odd momentary appearance upon him of having forgotten his hat, when Mr. Sapsea _now_ touched it.'

'_I shall come_. _Master Deputy_, _what do you owe me_?'

'_A job_.'

'_Mind you pay me honestly with the job of showing me Mr. Durdles's house when I want to go there_.'

In Chapter XX.:-

'_Yes_, _you may be sure that the stairs are fireproof_,' _said Mr.

Grewgious_, '_and that any outbreak of the devouring element would be perceived and suppressed by the watchmen_.'

In Chapter XXI.:-

_I wished at the time that you had come to me_; _but now I think it best that you did as you did_, _and came to your guardian_.'