第80章

“Inthatcase，“rejoinedSirPatrick，“Ihadbettergoonatoncewiththematterinhand——leavingyoutoseeforyourselftheconnectionbetweenwhatIamabouttosay，andthequestionthatIhavejustput。WhenIhavedone，youshallthenreplytomeornot，exactlyasyouthinkright。Mydearboy，thesubjectonwhichIwanttospeaktoyouis——MissSilvester。“

Arnoldstarted。SirPatricklookedathimwithamoment’sattention，andwenton：

“Myniecehasherfaultsoftemperandherfailingsofjudgment，“

hesaid。“Butshehasoneatoningquality(amongmanyothers)

whichoughttomake——andwhichIbelievewillmake——thehappinessofyourmarriedlife。Inthepopularphrase，Blancheisastrueassteel。Onceherfriend，alwaysherfriend。DoyouseewhatI

amcomingto？Shehassaidnothingaboutit，Arnold；butshehasnotyieldedoneinchinherresolutiontoreuniteherselftoMissSilvester。Oneofthefirstquestionsyouwillhavetodetermine，afterto-morrow，willbethequestionofwhetheryoudo，ornot，sanctionyourwifeinattemptingtocommunicatewithherlostfriend。“

Arnoldansweredwithouttheslightestreserve“IamheartilysorryforBlanche’slostfriend，SirPatrick。MywifewillhavemyfullapprovalifshetriestobringMissSilvesterback——andmybesthelptoo，ifIcangiveit。“

Thosewordswereearnestlyspoken。Itwasplainthattheycamefromhisheart。

“Ithinkyouarewrong，“saidSirPatrick。“I，too，amsorryforMissSilvester。ButIamconvincedthatshehasnotleftBlanchewithoutaseriousreasonforit。AndIbelieveyouwillbeencouragingyourwifeinahopelesseffort，ifyouencouragehertopersistinthesearchforherlostfriend。However，itisyouraffair，andnotmine。DoyouwishmetoofferyouanyfacilitiesfortracingMissSilvesterwhichImayhappentopossess？“

“Ifyou_can_helpusoveranyobstaclesatstarting，SirPatrick，itwillbeakindnesstoBlanche，andakindnesstome。“

“Verygood。IsupposeyourememberwhatIsaidtoyou，onemorning，whenweweretalkingofMissSilvesteratWindygates？“

“Yousaidyouhaddeterminedtolethergoherownway。“

“Quiteright!OntheeveningofthedaywhenIsaidthatI

receivedinformationthatMissSilvesterhadbeentracedtoGlasgow。Youwon’trequiremetoexplainwhyInevermentionedthistoyouortoBlanche。Inmentioningitnow，Icommunicatetoyoutheonlypositiveinformation，onthesubjectofthemissingwoman，whichIpossess。Therearetwootherchancesoffindingher(ofamorespeculativekind)whichcanonlybetestedbyinducingtwomen(bothequallydifficulttodealwith)t