"
"What next?" repeated my mistress.
"Next," proceeded the Sergeant, "and last, I propose to send one of
my brother-officers to make an arrangement with that money-lender in
London, whom I mentioned just now as formerly acquainted with Rosanna
Spearman--and whose name and address, your ladyship may rely on it, have
been communicated by Rosanna to Miss Verinder. I don't deny that the
course of action I am now suggesting will cost money, and consume time.
But the result is certain. We run a line round the Moonstone, and we
draw that line closer and closer till we find it in Miss Verinder's
possession, supposing she decides to keep it. If her debts press, and
she decides on sending it away, then we have our man ready, and we meet
the Moonstone on its arrival in London."
To hear her own daughter made the subject of such a proposal as this,
stung my mistress into speaking angrily for the first time.
"Consider your proposal declined, in every particular," she said. "And
go on to your other way of bringing the inquiry to an end."
"My other way," said the Sergeant, going on as easy as ever, "is to try
that bold experiment to which I have alluded.
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