After leaving Melmotte's house, on Sunday morning Paul Montague, went to Roger Carbury's hotel and found his friend just returning from church. He was bound to go to Islington on that day, but had made up his mind that he would defer his visit till the evening. He would dine early and be with Mrs Hurtle about seven o'clock. But it was necessary that Roger should hear the news about Ruby Ruggles. 'It's not so bad as you thought,' said he, 'as she is living with her aunt.'
'I never heard of such an aunt.'
'She says her grandfather knows where she is, and that he doesn't want her back again.'
'Does she see Felix Carbury?'
'I think she does,' said Paul.
'Then it doesn't matter whether the woman's her aunt or not. I'll go and see her and try to get her back to Bungay.'
'Why not send for John Crumb?'
Roger hesitated for a moment, and then answered, 'He'd give Felix such a thrashing as no man ever had before. My cousin deserves it as well as any man ever deserved a thrashing; but there are reasons why I should not like it. And he could not force her back with him. I don't suppose the girl is all bad,--if she could see the truth.'
'I don't think she's bad at all.'
'At any rate I'll go and see her,' said Roger. 'Perhaps I shall see your widow at the same time.' Paul sighed, but said nothing more about his widow at that moment. 'I'll walk up to Welbeck Street now,' said Roger, taking his hat. 'Perhaps I shall see you to-morrow.' Paul felt that he could not go to Welbeck Street with his friend.
He dined in solitude at the Beargarden, and then again made that journey to Islington in a cab. As he went he thought of the proposal that had been made to him by Melmotte. If he could do it with a clear conscience, if he could really make himself believe in the railway, such an expedition would not be displeasing to him. He had said already more than he had intended to say to Hetta Carbury; and though he was by no means disposed to flatter himself, yet he almost thought that what he had said had been well received. At the moment they had been disturbed, but she, as she heard the sound of her mother coming, had at any rate expressed no anger. He had almost been betrayed into breaking a promise. Were he to start now on this journey, the period of the promise would have passed by before his return. Of course he would take care that she should know that he had gone in the performance of a duty. And then he would escape from Mrs Hurtle, and would be able to make those inquiries which had been suggested to him. It was possible that Mrs Hurtle should offer to go with him,--an arrangement which would not at all suit him.