Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. II, 1889.djvu/102

 “You were coming to ask Mr. Percival privately for information?”

“That’s just it. Of course if you can’t give me any, I must see him to-morrow.”

“He won’t tell you anything more than I have.”

“And you don’t know anything more?”

“I didn’t say that, my dear fellow. Suppose you begin by telling me a little more about yourself?”

It was a matter of time, but at length the dialogue took another character. The glasses of stimulant were renewed, and as Joseph grew expansive Scawthorne laid aside something of his professional reserve, without, however, losing the discretion which led him to subdue his voice and express himself in uncompromising phrases. Their sitting lasted about an hour, and before taking leave of each other they arranged for a meeting at a different place in the course of a few days.

Joseph walked homewards with deliberation, in absent mood, his countenance alternating strangely between a look of mischievous