proverb；　exulting；　LOVE　LAUGHS　AT　LOCKSMITHS！　　In　a　moment；　by　the
  mere　coming　of　this　money；　my　love　had　become　possible　…　it　had
  come　near；　it　was　under　my　hand　…　and　it　may　be　by　one　of　the
  curiosities　of　human　nature；　but　it　burned　that　instant　brighter。
  'Rowley；'　said　I；　'your　Viscount　is　a　made　man。'
  'Why；　we　both　are；　sir；'　said　Rowley。
  'Yes；　both；'　said　I；　'and　you　shall　dance　at　the　wedding；'　and　I
  flung　at　his　head　a　bundle　of　bank　notes；　and　had　just　followed　it
  up　with　a　handful　of　guineas；　when　the　door　opened；　and　Mr。　Romaine
  appeared　upon　the　threshold。
  CHAPTER　XVIII　…　MR。　ROMAINE　CALLS　ME　NAMES
  FEELING　very　much　of　a　fool　to　be　thus　taken　by　surprise；　I
  scrambled　to　my　feet　and　hastened　to　make　my　visitor　welcome。　　He
  did　not　refuse　me　his　hand；　but　he　gave　it　with　a　coldness　and
  distance　for　which　I　was　quite　unprepared；　and　his　countenance；　as
  he　looked　on　me；　was　marked　in　a　strong　degree　with　concern　and
  severity。
  'So；　sir；　I　find　you　here？'　said　he；　in　tones　of　little
  encouragement。　　'Is　that　you；　George？　　You　can　run　away；　I　have
  business　with　your　master。'
  He　showed　Rowley　out；　and　locked　the　door　behind　him。　　Then　he　sat
  down　in　an　armchair　on　one　side　of　the　fire；　and　looked　at　me　with
  uncompromising　sternness。
  'I　am　hesitating　how　to　begin；'　said　he。　　'In　this　singular
  labyrinth　of　blunders　and　difficulties　that　you　have　prepared　for
  us；　I　am　positively　hesitating　where　to　begin。　　It　will　perhaps　be
  best　that　you　should　read；　first　of　all；　this　paragraph。'　　And　he
  handed　over　to　me　a　newspaper。
  The　paragraph　in　question　was　brief。　　It　announced　the　recapture　of
  one　of　the　prisoners　recently　escaped　from　Edinburgh　Castle；　gave
  his　name；　Clausel；　and　added　that　he　had　entered　into　the
  particulars　of　the　recent　revolting　murder　in　the　Castle；　and
  denounced　the　murderer：…
  'It　is　a　common　soldier　called　Champdivers；　who　had　himself
  escaped；　and　is　in　all　probability　involved　in　the　common　fate　of
  his　comrades。　　In　spite　of　the　activity　along　all　the　Forth　and　the
  East　Coast；　nothing　has　yet　been　seen　of　the　sloop　which　these
  desperadoes　seized　at　Grangemouth；　and　it　is　now　almost　certain
  that　they　have　found　a　watery　grave。'
  At　the　reading　of　this　paragraph；　my　heart　turned　over。　　In　a
  moment　I　saw　my　castle　in　the　air　ruined；　myself　changed　from　a
  mere　military　fugitive　into　a　hunted　murderer；　fleeing　from　the
  gallows；　my　love；　which　had　a　moment　since　appeared　so　near　to　me；
  blotted　from　the　field　of　possibility。　　Despair；　which　was　my　first
  sentiment；　did　not；　however；　endure　for　more　than　a　moment。　　I　saw
  that　my　companions　had　indeed　succeeded　in　their　unlikely　design；
  and　that　I　was　supposed　to　have　accompanied　and　perished　along　with
  them　by　shipwreck　…　a　most　probable　ending　to　their　enterprise。　　If
  they　thought　me　at　the　bottom　of　the　North　Sea；　I　need　not　fear
  much　vigilance　on　the　streets　of　Edinburgh。　　Champdivers　was
  wanted：　what　was　to　connect　him　with　St。　Ives？　　Major　Chevenix
  would　recognise　me　if　he　met　me；　that　was　beyond　bargaining：　he　had
  seen　me　so　often；　his　interest　had　been　kindled　to　so　high　a　point；
  that　I　could　hope　to　deceive　him　by　no　stratagem　of　disguise。
  Well；　even　so；　he　would　have　a　competition　of　testimony　before　him：
  he　knew　Clausel；　he　knew　me；　and　I　was　sure　he　would　decide　for
  honour。　　At　the　same　time　the　image　of　Flora　shot　up　in　my　mind's
  eye　with　such　a　radiancy　as　fairly　overwhelmed　all　other
  considerations；　the　blood　sprang　to　every　corner　of　my　body；　and　I
  vowed　I　would　see　and　win　her；　if　it　cost　my　neck。
  'Very　annoying；　no　doubt；'　said　I；　as　I　returned　the　paper　to　Mr。
  Romaine。
  'Is　annoying　your　word　for　it？'　said　he。
  'Exasperating；　if　you　like；'　I　admitted。
  'And　true？'　he　inquired。
  'Well；　true　in　a　sense；'　said　I。　　'But　perhaps　I　had　better　answer
  that　question　by　putting　you　in　possession　of　the　facts？'
  'I　think　so；　indeed；'　said　he。
  I　narrated　to　him　as　much　as　seemed　necessary　of　the　quarrel；　the
  duel；　the　death　of　Goguelat；　and　the　character　of　Clausel。　　He
  heard　me　through　in　a　forbidding　silence；　nor　did　he　at　all　betray
  the　nature　of　his　sentiments；　except　that；　at　the　episode　of　the
  scissors；　I　could　observe　his　mulberry　face　to　turn　three　shades
  paler。
  'I　suppose　I　may　believe　you？'　said　he；　when　I　had　done。
  'Or　else　conclude　this　interview；'　said　I。
  'Can　you　not　understand　that　we　are　here　discussing　matters　of　the
  gravest　import？　　Can　you　not　understand　that　I　feel　myself　weighed
  with　a　load　of　responsibility　on　your　account　…　that　you　should
  take　this　occasion　to　air　your　fire…eating　manners　against　your　own
  attorney？　　There　are　serious　hours　in　life；　Mr。　Anne；'　he　said
  severely。　　'A　capital　charge；　and　that　of　a　very　brutal　character
  and　with　singularly　unpleasant　details；　the　presence　of　the　man
  Clausel；　who　（according　to　your　account　of　it）　is　actuated　by
  sentiments　of　real　malignity；　and　prepared　to　swear　black　white；
  all　the　other　witnesses　scattered　and　perhaps　drowned　at　sea；　the
  natural　prejudice　against　a　Frenchman　and　a　runaway　prisoner：　this
  makes　a　serious　total　for　your　lawyer　to　consider；　and　is　by　no
  means　lessened　by　the　incurable　folly　and　levity　of　your　own
  disposition。'
  'I　beg　your　pardon！'　said　I。
  'Oh；　my　expressions　have　been　selected　with　scrupulous　accuracy；'
  he　replied。　　'How　did　I　find　you；　sir；　when　I　came　to　announce　this
  catastrophe？　　You　were　sitting　on　the　hearthrug　playing；　like　a
  silly　baby；　with　a　servant；　were　you　not；　and　the　floor　all
  scattered　with　gold　and　bank　paper？　　There　was　a　tableau　for　you！
  It　was　I　who　came；　and　you　were　lucky　in　that。　　It　might　have　been
  any　one　…　your　cousin　as　well　as　another。'
  'You　have　me　there；　sir；'　I　admitted。　　'I　had　neglected　all
  precautions；　and　you　do　right　to　be　angry。　　APROPOS；　Mr。　Romaine；
  how　did　you　come　yourself；　and　how　long　have　you　been　in　the
  house？'　I　added；　surprised；　on　the　retrospect；　not　to　have　heard
  him　arrive。
  'I　drove　up　in　a　chaise　and　pair；'　he　returned。　　'Any　one　might
  have　heard　me。　　But　you　were　not　listening；　I　suppose？　being　so
  extremely　at　your　ease　in　the　very　house　of　your　enemy；　and　under　a
  capital　charge！　　And　I　have　been　long　enough　here　to　do　your
  business　for　you。　　Ah；　yes；　I　did　it；　God　forgive　me！　…　did　it
  before　I　so　much　as　asked　you　the　explanation　of　the　paragraph。
  For　some　time　back　the　will　has　been　prepared；　now　it　is　signed；
  and　your　uncle　has　heard　nothing　of　your　recent　piece　of　activity。
  Why？　　Well；　I　had　no　fancy　to　bother　him　on　his　death…bed：　you
  might　be　innocent；　and　at　bottom　I　preferred　the　murderer　to　the
  spy。'
  No　doubt　of　it　but　the　man　played　a　friendly　part；　no　doubt　also
  that；　in　his　ill…temper　and　anxiety；　he　expressed　himself
  unpalatably。
  'You　will　perhaps　find　me　over　delicate；'　said　I。　　'There　is　a　word
  you　employed　…　'
  'I　employ　the　words　of　my　brief；　sir；'　he　cried；　striking　with　his
  hand　on　the　newspaper。　　'It　is　there　in　six　letters。　　And　do　not　be
  so　certain　…　you　have　not　stood　your　trial　yet。　　It　is　an　ugly
  affair；　a　fishy　business。　　It　is　highly　disagreeable。　　I　would　give
  my　hand　off　…　I　mean　I　would　give　a　hundred　pound　down；　to　have
  nothing　to　do　with　it。　　And；　situated　as　we　are；　we　must　at　once
  take　action。　　There　is　here　no　choice。　　You　must　at　once　quit　this
  country；　and　get　to　France；　or　Holland；　or；　indeed；　to　Madagascar。'
  'There　may　be　two　words　to　that；'　said　I。
  'Not　so　much　as　one　syllable！'　he　retorted。　　'Here　is　no　room　for
  argument。　　The　case　is　nakedly　plain。　　In　the　disgusting　position
  in　which　you　have　found　means　to　place　yourself；　all　that　is　to　be
  hoped　for　is　delay。　　A　time　may　come　when　we　shall　be　able　to　do
  better。　　It　cannot　be　now：　now　it　would　be　the　gibbet。'
  'You　labour　under　a　false　impression；　Mr。　Romaine；'　said　I。　　'I
  have　no　impatience　to　figure　in　the　dock。　　I　am　even　as　anxious　as
  yourself　to　postpone　my　first　appearance　there。　　On　the　other　hand；
  I　have　not　the　slightest　intention　of　leaving　this　country；　where　I
  please　myself　extremely。　　I　have　a　good　address；　a　ready　tongue；　an
  English　accent　that　passes；　and；　thanks　to　the　generosity　of　my
  uncle；　as　much　money　as　I　want。　　It　would　be　hard　indeed　if；　with
  all　these　advantages；　Mr。　St。　Ives　should　not　be　able　to　live
  quietly　in　a　private　lodging；　while　the　authorities　amuse
  themselves　by　looking　for　Champdivers。　　You　forget；　there　is　no
  connection　between　these　two　personages。'
  'And　you　forget　your　cousin；'　retorted　Romaine。　　'There　is　the
  link。　　There　is　the　tongue　of　the　buckle。　　He　knows　you　are
  Champdivers。'　　He　put　up　his　hand　as　if　to　listen。　　'And；　for　a
  wager；　here　he　is　himself！'　he　exclaimed。
  As　when　a　tailor　ta