Now Mr Melmotte's presence certainly had not been expected. It was known that it was his habit to be in the City at this hour. It was known also that he was well aware that this meeting was to be held in this room at this special hour,--and he might well have surmised with what view. There was now declared hostility between both the Longestaffes and Mr Melmotte, and it certainly was supposed by all the gentlemen concerned that he would not have put himself out of the way to meet them on this occasion. 'Gentlemen,' he said, 'perhaps you think that I am intruding at the present moment.' No one said that he did not think so. The elder Longestaffe simply bowed very coldly. Mr Bideawhile stood upright and thrust his thumbs into his waistcoat pockets. Dolly, who at first forgot to take his hat off, whistled a bar, and then turned a pirouette on his heel. That was his mode of expressing his thorough surprise at the appearance of his debtor. 'I fear that you do think I am intruding,' said Melmotte, 'but I trust that what I have to say will be held to excuse me. I see, sir,' he said, turning to Mr Longestaffe, and glancing at the still open drawer, 'that you have been examining your desk. I hope that you will be more careful in locking it than you were when you left it before.'
'The drawer was locked when I left it,' said Mr Longestaffe. 'I make no deductions and draw no conclusions, but the drawer was locked.'
'Then I should say it must have been locked when you returned to it.'
'No, sir, I found it open. I make no deductions and draw no conclusions,--but I left it locked and I found it open.'
'I should make a deduction and draw a conclusion,' said Dolly; 'and that would be that somebody else had opened it.'
'This can answer no purpose at all,' said Bideawhile.
'It was but a chance remark,' said Melmotte. 'I did not come here out of the City at very great personal inconvenience to myself to squabble about the lock of the drawer. As I was informed that you three gentlemen would be here together, I thought the opportunity a suitable one for meeting you and making you an offer about this unfortunate business.' He paused a moment; but neither of the three spoke. It did occur to Dolly to ask them to wait while he should fetch Squercum; but on second thoughts he reflected that a great deal of trouble would have to be taken, and probably for no good. 'Mr Bideawhile, I believe,' suggested Melmotte; and the lawyer bowed his head. 'If I remember rightly I wrote to you offering to pay the money due to your clients--'