He put the paper down with an affected air of easy composure, and walked home through the glaring gas-lights, still trying to think--still trying, but in vain, to come to some definite resolve.
And then on the following morning he went off to call on Mrs.
Val.

He had as yet told Gertrude nothing.

When she asked him what made him start so early, he merely replied that he had business to do on his road.

As lie went, he had considerable doubt whether or no it would be better for him to break his word to Mrs.Val, and not go near her at all.

In such event he might be sure that she would at once go to work and do her worst; but, nevertheless, he would gain a day, or probably two, and one or two days might do all that he required; whereas he could not see Mrs.Val without giving her some explanation, which if false would be discovered to be false, and if true would be self-condemnatory.
He again, however, failed to decide, and at last knocked at Mrs.
Val's door merely because he found himself there.
He was shown up into the drawing-room, and found, of course, Mrs.
Val seated on a sofa; and he also found, which was not at all of course, Captain Val, on a chair on one side of the table, and M.
Victoire Jaquetanape on the other.