John Eames had reached his office precisely¹ at twelve o'clock, but when he did so he hardly knew whether he was standing² on his heels or his head. The whole morning had been to him one of intense excitement, and latterly, to a certain extent, one of triumph. But he did not at all know what might be the results. Would he be taken before a magistrate³ and locked up? Would there be a row at the office? Would Crosbie call him out, and, if so, would it be incumbent⁴ on him to fight a duel⁵ with pistols? What would Lord De Guest say—Lord De Guest, who had specially⁶ warned him not to take upon himself the duty of avenging⁷ Lily's wrongs? What would all the Dale family say of his conduct? And, above all, what would Lily say and think? Nevertheless, the feeling of triumph was predominant; and now, at this interval⁸ of time, he was beginning to remember with pleasure the sensation of his fist as it went into Crosbie's eye.

During his first day at the office he heard nothing about the affair, nor did he say a word of it to any one. It was known in his room that he had gone down to spend his Christmas holiday with Lord De Guest, and he was treated with some increased consideration accordingly. And, moreover, I must explain, in order that I may give Johnny Eames his due, he was gradually acquiring for himself a good footing among the Income-tax officials. He knew his work, and did it with some manly⁹ confidence in his own powers, and also with some manly indifference¹⁰ to the occasional frowns of the

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