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'What I want to know is how are we to get theof,--course; but I'd sooner have the money Squercum says--'

'Adolphus, we don't want to know here what Mr Squercum says'

'I don't knohat Mr Squercuood as what Mr Bideawhile says Of course Squercum doesn't sound very aristocratic'

'Quite as

'No; Squercuood deal lower than Lincoln's Inn Nevertheless Squercum may knohat he's about It was Squercum as first down upon Melmotte in this matter, and if it wasn't for Squercum we shouldn't know as much about it as we do at present' Squercuestaffe He believed, probably without much reason, that all his fa that if his son would have left his affairs in the hands of the old Slows and the old Bideawhiles, money would never have been scarce with him, and that he would not haveproperty And the sound of Squercum, as his son kneas horrid to his ears He hu his head and frowning His son looked at hih quite astonished at his displeasure 'There's nothingon his hat

'Nothing more,' said Mr Bideawhile 'It ht it well that I should see in the presence of both of you exactly how the thing stood You speak so positively, Mr Longestaffe, that there can be no doubt?'

'There is no doubt'

'And now perhaps you had better lock the drawer in our presence Stop a n of violence having been used' So saying Mr Bideawhile knelt down in front of the table and began to examine the lock This he did very carefully and satisfied hin of violence' 'Whoever has done it, did it very well,' said Bideawhile

'Of course Mel immediately over Bideawhile's shoulder

At that moment there was a knock at the door,--a very distinct, and, we may say, a formal knock There are those who knock and i for the sanction asked Had he who knocked done so on this occasion Mr Bideawhile would have been found still on his knees, with his nose down to the level of the keyhole But the intruder did not intrude rapidly, and the lawyer ju Dolly with the effort There was a pause, during which Mr Bideawhile ht have done had he been picking a lock;--and then Mr Longestaffe bade the stranger come in with a sepulchral voice The door was opened, and Mr Melmotte appeared