"I fear that you do think I am intruding," said Melmotte, "but I trust that what I have to say will be held to excuse me. I see, sir," he said, turning to Mr. Longestaffe, and glancing at the still open drawer, "that you have been examining your desk. I hope that you will be more careful in locking it than you were when you left it before."
"The drawer was locked when I left it," said Mr. Longestaffe. "I make no deductions and draw no conclusions, but the drawer was locked."
"Then I should say it must have been locked when you returned to it."
"No, sir, I found it open. I make no deductions and draw no conclusions,--but I left it locked and I found it open."
"I should make a deduction and draw a conclusion," said Dolly; "and that would be that somebody else had opened it."
"This can answer no purpose at all," said Bideawhile.

"I trust that what I have to say will excuse me. I see, sir," said Melmotte, glancing at the still open drawer, "that you have been examining your desk. I hope that you will be more careful in locking it than you were when you left it before."
"The drawer was locked when I left it," said Mr. Longestaffe.
"Then I should say it must have been locked when you returned to it."
"No, sir, I found it open. I make no deductions and draw no conclusions - but I left it locked and I found it open."
"I should make a deduction and draw a conclusion," said Dolly; "and that would be that somebody else had opened it."
