第78章

“SawmuelBishopriggs，“hewenton，glibly。“Careo’DavieDow，flesher；Cowgate；Embro。MyPatmosintheweelderness，miss，forthetimebeing。“

Blanchereceivedtheaddresswithasenseofunspeakablerelief。

IfshehadoncemoreventuredontakingSirPatrick’splace，andoncemorefailedinjustifyingherrashnessbytheresults，shehadatleastgainedsomeatoningadvantage，thistime，byopeningameansofcommunicationbetweenheruncleandBishopriggs。“YouwillhearfromSirPatrick，“shesaid，andnoddedkindly，andreturnedtoherplaceamongtheguests。

“I’llhearfromSirPaitrick，wullI？“repeatedBishopriggswhenhewasleftbyhimself。“SirPaitrickwillwarknaethinglessthanameeracleifhefindsSawmuelBishopriggsattheCowgate，Embro!“

Helaughedsoftlyoverhisowncleverness；andwithdrewtoalonelyplaceintheplantation，inwhichhecouldconsultthestolencorrespondencewithoutfearofbeingobservedbyanylivingcreature。Oncemorethetruthhadtriedtostruggleintolight，beforethedayofthemarriage，andoncemoreBlanchehadinnocentlyhelpedthedarknesstokeepitfromview。

AFTERanewandattentivereadingofAnne’slettertoGeoffrey，andofGeoffrey’slettertoAnne，Bishopriggslaiddowncomfortablyunderatree，andsethimselfthetaskofseeinghispositionplainlyasitwasatthatmoment。

TheprofitabledisposalofthecorrespondencetoBlanchewasnolongeramongthepossibilitiesinvolvedinthecase。AsfortreatingwithSirPatrick，BishopriggsdeterminedtokeepequallydearoftheCowgate，Edinburgh，andofMrs。Inchbare’sinn，solongastherewasthefaintestchanceofhispushinghisowninterestsinanyotherquarter。Nopersonlivingwouldbecapableofsocertainlyextractingthecorrespondencefromhim，onsuchruinouslycheaptermsashisoldmaster。“I’llno’putmyselfunderSirPaitrick’sthumb，“thoughtBishopriggs，“tillI’veganemyainroundsamongthelaveo’themfirst。“

RenderedintointelligibleEnglish，thisresolutionpledgedhimtoholdnocommunicationwithSirPatrick——untilhehadfirsttestedhissuccessinnegotiatingwithotherpersons，whomightbeequallyinterestedingettingpossessionofthecorrespondence，andmoreliberalingivinghush-moneytothethiefwhohadstolenit。

Whowerethe“otherpersons“athisdisposal，underthesecircumstances？

HehadonlytorecalltheconversationwhichhehadoverheardbetweenLadyLundieandMrs。Delamayntoarriveatthediscoveryofoneperson，tobeginwith，whowasdirectlyinterestedingettingpossessionofhisownletter。Mr。GeoffreyDelamaynwasinafairwayofbeingmarriedtoaladynamedMrs。Glenarm。AndherewasthissameMr。GeoffreyDelamayninmatrimonialcorrespondence，littlemorethanafortnightsince，withanotherlady——whosignedherself“AnneSilvester。“

Whateverhispositionbetweenthetwowomenmightbe，hisinterestinpossessinghimselfofthecorrespondencewasplainbeyondalldoubt。ItwasequallyclearthatthefirstthingtobedonebyBishopriggswastofindthemeansofobtainingapersonalinterviewwithhim。Iftheinterviewledtonothingelse，itwoulddecideoneimportantquestionwhichstillremainedtobesolved。TheladywhomBishopriggshadwaitedonatCraigFerniemightwellbe“AnneSilvester。“WasMr。GeoffreyDelamayn，inthatcase。thegentlemanwhohadpassedasherhusbandattheinn？

Bishopriggsrosetohisgoutyfeetwithallpossiblealacrity，andhobbledawaytomakethenecessaryinquiries，addressinghimself，nottothemen-servantsatthedinner-table，whowouldbesuretoinsistonhisjoiningthem，buttothewomen-servantsleftinchargeoftheemptyhouse