“No, no. Upon the contrary Mr Norrell is eager to declare himself responsible. He has a whole list of reasons and will be glad to tell them to any one who will listen.”

“And what are these reasons?” asked Mr Murray, coldly.

“Oh, the usual sort of thing, I expect,” said Childermass, looking, for the first time, slightly evasive. “A letter is being prepared which tells you all about it.”

“And you think that will satisfy me, do you? A letter of apology?”

“Apology? I doubt you will get much in the way of an apology.”

“I intend to speak to my attorney,” said Mr Murray, “this very afternoon.”

“Of course you do. We should not expect any thing less. But be that as it may, it is not Mr Norrell’s intention that you should lose money by this. As soon as you are able to give me an account of all that you have spent in the publication of Mr Strange’s book, I am authorized to give you a banker’s draft for the full amount.”

This was unexpected. Mr Murray was torn between his desire to return Childermass a very rude answer and his consciousness that Norrell was depriving him of a great deal of money and ought in fairness to pay him.

Shackleton poked Mr Murray discreetly in the arm to warn him not to do any thing rash.

“What of my profit?” asked Mr Murray, trying to gain a little time.

“Oh, you wish that to be taken into consideration, do you? That is only fair, I suppose. Let me speak to Mr Norrell.” With that Childermass bowed and walked out of the shop.

There was no reason for Mr Murray and Shackleton to remain any longer. As soon as they were out in the street again, Mr Murray turned to Shackleton and said, “Go down to Thames-street …” (This was the warehouse where Mr Murray kept his stock.) “… and find out if any of Mr Strange’s books are left. Do not allow Jackson to put you off with a short answer. Make him shew them to you. Tell him I need him to count them and that he must send me the reckoning within the hour.”

When Mr Murray arrived back at Albermarle-street he found three young men loitering in his shop. They shut up their books the moment they saw him, surrounded him in an instant and began talking at once. Mr Murray naturally supposed that they must have come upon the same errand as Mr Green. As two of them were very tall and all of them were loud and indignant, he became rather nervous and signalled to the office-boy to run and fetch help. The office-boy stayed exactly where he was and watched the proceedings with an expression of unwonted interest upon his face.