'
Mr. Grewgious touched himself on the breast, and said: 'I mean us.
Therefore, let them have their little discussions and councils
together, when Mr. Edwin Drood comes back here at Christmas; and
then you and I will step in, and put the final touches to the
business.'
'So, you settled with her that you would come back at Christmas?'
observed Jasper. 'I see! Mr. Grewgious, as you quite fairly said
just now, there is such an exceptional attachment between my nephew
and me, that I am more sensitive for the dear, fortunate, happy,
happy fellow than for myself. But it is only right that the young
lady should be considered, as you have pointed out, and that I
should accept my cue from you. I accept it. I understand that at
Christmas they will complete their preparations for May, and that
their marriage will be put in final train by themselves, and that
nothing will remain for us but to put ourselves in train also, and
have everything ready for our formal release from our trusts, on
Edwin's birthday.'
'That is my understanding,' assented Mr. Grewgious, as they shook
hands to part. 'God bless them both!'
'God save them both!' cried Jasper.
'I said, bless them,' remarked the former, looking back over his
shoulder.
'I said, save them,' returned the latter. 'Is there any
difference?'
CHAPTER X--SMOOTHING THE WAY
It has been often enough remarked that women have a curious power
of divining the characters of men, which would seem to be innate
and instinctive; seeing that it is arrived at through no patient
process of reasoning, that it can give no satisfactory or
sufficient account of itself, and that it pronounces in the most
confident manner even against accumulated observation on the part
of the other sex.
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