o him; but, though he
discussed it within his own bosom in every form, he knew that he could
not fly. And if he stood his ground,--as most assuredly he would do,--
then must he not be afraid to meet any man, let the man come with what
thunderbolts in his hand he might. Of course sooner or later some man
must come with a thunderbolt,--and why not Croll as well as another?
He stood against a press in his chamber, with a razor in his hand, and
steadied himself. How easily might he put an end to it all! Then he
rang his bell and desired that Croll might be shown up into his room.

The three or four minutes which intervened seemed to him to be very
long. He had absolutely forgotten in his anxiety that the lather was
still upon his face. But he could not smother his anxiety. He was
fighting with it at every turn, but he could not conquer it. When the
knock came at his door, he grasped at his own breast as though to
support himself. With a hoarse voice he told the man to come in, and
Croll himself appeared, opening the door gently and very slowly.
Melmotte had left the bag which contained the papers in possession of
Mr Brehgert, and he now saw, at a glance, that Croll had got the bag
in his hand and could see also by the shape of the bag that the bag
contained the papers. The man therefore had in his own hands, in his
own keeping, the very documents to which his own name had been forged!
There was no longer a hope, no longer a chance that Croll should be
ignorant of what had been done. 'Well, Croll,' he said with an attempt
at a smile, 'what brings you here so early?' He was pale as death, and
let him struggle as he would, could not restrain himself from
trembling.

'Herr Brehgert vas vid me last night,' said Croll.

'Eh!'

'And he thought I had better bring these back to you. That's all.'
Croll spoke in a very low voice, with his eyes fixed on his master's
face, but with nothing of a threat in his attitude or manner.

'Eh!' repeated Melmotte. Even though he might have saved himself from
all coming evils by a bold demeanour at that moment, he could not
assume it. But it all flashed upon him at a moment. Brehgert had seen
Croll after he, Melmotte, had left the City, had then discovered the
forgery, and had taken this way of sending back all the forged
documents. He had known Brehgert to be of all men who ever lived the
most good-natured, but he could hardly believe in pure good-nature
such as this. It seemed that the thun