risco;--that's all. And I have heard
Hurtle say when he was a little farther gone than usual that she was
here with you, and that he meant to drop in on you some of these
days.' To this Paul made no answer, thinking that he had now both
heard enough and said enough about Mrs Hurtle.

On the following day the two men, who were still partners, went
together to London, and Fisker immediately became immersed in the
arrangement of Melmotte's affairs. He put himself into communication
with Mr Brehgert, went in and out of the offices in Abchurch Lane and
the rooms which had belonged to the Railway Company, cross-examined
Croll, mastered the books of the Company as far as they were to be
mastered, and actually summoned both the Grendalls, father and son, up
to London. Lord Alfred, and Miles with him, had left London a day or
two before Melmotte's death,--having probably perceived that there was
no further occasion for their services. To Fisker's appeal Lord Alfred
was proudly indifferent. Who was this American that he should call
upon a director of the London Company to appear? Does not every one
know that a director of a company need not direct unless he pleases?
Lord Alfred, therefore, did not even condescend to answer Fisker's
letter;--but he advised his son to run up to town. 'I should just go,
because I'd taken a salary from the d---- Company,' said the careful
father, 'but when there I wouldn't say a word.' So Miles Grendall,
obeying his parent, reappeared upon the scene.

But Fisker's attention was perhaps most usefully and most sedulously
paid to Madame Melmotte and her daughter. Till Fisker arrived no one
had visited them in their solitude at Hampstead, except Croll, the
clerk. Mr Brehgert had abstained, thinking that a widow, who had
become a widow under such terrible circumstances, would prefer to be
alone. Lord Nidderdale had made his adieux, and felt that he could do
no more. It need hardly be said that Lord Alfred had too much good
taste to interfere at such a time, although for some months he had
been domestically intimate with the poor woman, or that Sir Felix
would not be prompted by the father's death to renew his suit to the
daughter. But Fisker had not been two days in London before he went
out to Hampstead, and was admitted to Madame Melmotte's presence,--and
he had not been there four days before he was aware that in spite of
all misfortunes, Marie Melmotte was still the undoubted possessor of a
large fo