In Which a Conference is Held by Candlelight

The room in which the conference was held was feebly lighted with one candle. The strange gentleman began by sitting down at the table, drawing the candle to him, and looking over some entries in his pocket-book. He then put up the pocket book and set the candle aside, peering round it into the darkness at Mr. Headstone, who was by now in a state of great expectation. The gentleman introduced himself as a London lawyer by the name of Jaggers, and announced that he had some unusual business to transact with the schoolmaster, for which express purpose he had followed him down into that solitary part of the country. Breaking off in his discourse to examine once again several pages in his pocket-book, the London lawyer at length informed Mr. Headstone that he represented an individual (he would not say whether a man or a woman), who had expressed a most particular interest in the character of the schoolmaster, and wished to procure the services of that same character in return for a handsome emolument. The name of this person was to remain a profound secret, until the person chose to reveal it, and, furthermore, that it was the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand by word of mouth. This was the sole condition of the proposed agreement, and if Mr. Headstone had any objection to it, this was the time to mention it. The schoolmaster having no objection, the London lawyer made a memorandum in his pocket-book, and then enquired when Mr. Headstone could return to London.