The three or four minutes which intervened seemed to him to be very long. He had absolutely forgotten in his anxiety that the lather was still upon his face. But he could not smother his anxiety. He was fighting with it at every turn, but he could not conquer it. When the knock came at his door, he grasped at his own breast as though to support himself. With a hoarse voice he told the man to come in, and Croll himself appeared, opening the door gently and very slowly. Melmotte had left the bag which contained the papers in possession of Mr. Brehgert, and he now saw, at a glance, that Croll had got the bag in his hand,--and could see also by the shape of the bag that the bag contained the papers. The man therefore had in his own hands, in his own keeping, the very documents to which his own name had been forged! There was no longer a hope, no longer a chance that Croll should be ignorant of what had been done. "Well, Croll," he said with an attempt at a smile, "what brings you here so early?" 
The three or four minutes which intervened seemed very long. He had absolutely forgotten in his anxiety that the lather was still upon his face. But he could not conquer his anxiety, though he was fighting it at every turn.
When the knock came at his door, he grasped at his own breast as though to support himself. Hoarsely he told the man to come in, and Croll opened the door very gently and slowly. Melmotte had left the bag which contained the papers in possession of Mr. Brehgert, and he now saw that Croll had the bag in his hand. He could see also by the shape of the bag that it contained the papers to which Croll's name had been forged. There was no longer a hope that Croll was ignorant of what had been done.
"Well, Croll," he said with an attempt at a smile, "what brings you here so early?" 