day in advance. In the meantime we will get an
injunction from the Vice-Chancellor to stop the publication."

"Can we do that in one day?"

"I think we can. Chancery isn't what it used to be," said Mr. Low,
with a sigh. "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go this very moment
to Pickering." Mr. Pickering at this time was one of the three
Vice-Chancellors. "It isn't exactly the proper thing for counsel to
call on a judge on a Sunday afternoon with the direct intention of
influencing his judgment for the following morning; but this is a
case in which a point may be strained. When such a paper as the
_People's Banner_ gets hold of a letter from a madman, which if
published would destroy the happiness of a whole family, one
shouldn't stick at a trifle. Pickering is just the man to take a
common-sense view of the matter. You'll have to make an affidavit in
the morning, and we can get the injunction served before two or three
o'clock. Mr. Septimus Slope, or whatever his name is, won't dare to
publish it after that. Of course, if it comes out to-morrow morning,
we shall have been too late; but this will be our best chance."
So Mr. Low got his hat and umbrella, and started for the
Vice-Chancellor's house. "And I tell you what, Phineas;--do you stay
and dine here. You are so flurried by all this, that you are not fit
to go anywhere else."

"I am flurried."

"Of course you are. Never mind about dressing. Do you go up and tell
Georgiana all about it;--and have dinner put off half an hour. I must
hunt Pickering up, if I don't find him at home." Then Phineas did go
upstairs and tell Georgiana--otherwise Mrs. Low--the whole story.
Mrs. Low was deeply affected, declaring her opinion very strongly as
to the horrible condition of things, when madmen could go about with
pistols, and without anybody to take care against them. But as to
Lady Laura Kennedy, she seemed to think that the poor husband had
great cause of complaint, and that Lady Laura ought to be punished.
Wives, she thought, should never leave their husbands on any pretext;
and, as far as she had heard the story, there had been no pretext at
all in the case. Her sympathies were clearly with the madman, though
she was quite ready to acknowledge that any and every step should be
taken which might be adverse to Mr. Quintus Slide.

CHAPTER XXIV

Madame Goesler Is Sent For

When the elder Mr. Maule had sufficiently recovered from the
perturbation of mind and body in