, »that my good-nature is
not to be calculated upon?«
    »Don't say so,« said Mr. Meagles; »you do yourself an injustice. However, to
come to the point.« For he was sensible of having gained nothing by approaching
it in a roundabout way. »I have heard from my friend Clennam, who, you will be
sorry to hear, has been and still is very ill -«
    He paused again, and again she was silent.
    »- that you had some knowledge of one Blandois, lately killed in London by a
violent accident. Now, don't mistake me! I know it was a slight knowledge,« said
Mr. Meagles, dexterously forestalling an angry interruption which he saw about
to break. »I am fully aware of that. It was a slight knowledge, I know. But the
question is,« Mr. Meagles's voice here became comfortable again, »did he, on his
way to England last time, leave a box of papers, or a bundle of papers, or some
papers or other in some receptacle or other - any papers - with you: begging you
to allow him to leave them here for a short time, until he wanted them?«
    »The question is?« she repeated. »Whose question is?«
    »Mine,« said Mr. Meagles. »And not only mine but Clennam's question, and
other people's question. Now, I am sure,« continued Mr. Meagles, whose heart was
overflowing with Pet, »that you can't have any unkind feeling towards my
daughter; it's impossible. Well! It's her question, too; being one in which a
particular friend of hers is nearly interested. So here I am, frankly to say
that is the question, and to ask, Now, did he?«
    »Upon my word,« she returned, »I seem to be a mark for everybody who knew
anything of a man I once in my life hired, and paid, and dismissed, to aim their
questions at!«
    »Now, don't,« remonstrated Mr. Meagles, »don't! Don't take offence, because
it's the plainest question in the world, and might be asked of any one. The
documents I refer to were not his own, were wrongfully obtained, might at some
time or other be troublesome to an innocent person to have in keeping, and are
sought by the people to whom they really
