CONRAD:TheSecretAgent，Chapter11CHAPTER11
AFTERChiefInspectorHeathadlefthimMrVerlocmovedabouttheparlour。
Fromtimetotimeheeyedhiswifethroughtheopendoor。`Sheknowsallaboutitnow，’hethoughttohimselfwithcommiserationforhersorrowandwithsomesatisfactionasregardedhimself。MrVerloc’ssoul，iflackinggreatnessperhaps，wascapableoftendersentiments。Theprospectofhavingtobreakthenewstoherhadputhimintoafever。ChiefInspectorHeathadrelievedhimofthetask。Thatwasgoodasfarasitwent。Itremainedforhimnowtofacehergrief。
MrVerlochadneverexpectedtohavetofaceitonaccountofdeath，whosecatastrophiccharactercannotbearguedawaybysophisticatedreasoningorpersuasiveeloquence。MrVerlocnevermeantStevietoperishwithsuchabruptviolence。Hedidnotmeanhimtoperishatall。Steviedeadwasamuchgreaternuisancethaneverhehadbeenwhenalive。MrVerlochadauguredafavourableissuetohisenterprise，basinghimselfnotonStevie’sintelligence，whichsometimesplaysqueertrickswithaman，butontheblinddocilityandontheblinddevotionoftheboy。Thoughnotmuchofapsychologist，MrVerlochadgaugedthedepthofStevie’sfanaticism。
HedaredcherishthehopeofSteviewalkingawayfromthewallsoftheObservatoryashehadbeeninstructedtodo，takingthewayshowntohimseveraltimespreviously，andrejoininghisbrother—in—law，thewiseandgoodMrVerloc，outsidetheprecinctsofthepark。Fifteenminutesoughttohavebeenenoughfortheveriestfooltodeposittheengineandwalkaway。AndtheProfessorhadguaranteedmorethanfifteenminutes。ButSteviehadstumbledwithinfiveminutesofbeinglefttohimself。AndMrVerlocwasshakenmorallytopieces。Hehadforeseeneverythingbutthat。HehadforeseenSteviedistractedandlost—soughtfor—foundinsomepolicestationorprovincialworkhouseintheend。HehadforeseenSteviearrested，andwasnotafraid，becauseMrVerlochadagreatopinionofStevie’sloyalty，whichhadbeencarefullyindoctrinatedwiththenecessityofsilenceinthecourseofmanywalks。Likeaperipateticphilosopher，MrVerloc，strollingalongthestreetsofLondon，hadmodifiedStevie’sviewofthepolicebyconversationsfullofsubtlereasonings。Neverhadasageamoreattentiveandadmiringdisciple。ThesubmissionandworshipweresoapparentthatMrVerlochadcometofeelsomethinglikealikingfortheboy。Inanycase，hehadnotforeseentheswiftbringinghomeofhisconnection。Thathiswifeshouldhitupontheprecautionofsewingtheboy’saddressinsidehisovercoatwasthelastthingMrVerlocwouldhavethoughtof。Onecan’tthinkifeverything。ThatwaswhatshemeantwhenshesaidthatheneednotworryifhelostStevieduringtheirwalks。Shehadassuredhimthattheboywouldturnupallright。Well，hehadturnedupwithavengeance！