Elated with the success which had rewarded his talents for pecuniary
speculation, and dismissing from his mind all thoughts of the fugitive
Sophy and the spoliated Rugge, Jasper Losely returned to London in
company with his new friend, Mr. Poole. He left Arabella Crane to
perform the same journey unattended; but that grim lady, carefully
concealing any resentment at such want of gallantry, felt assured that
she should not be long in London without being honoured by his visits.

In renewing their old acquaintance, Mrs. Crane had contrived to establish
over Jasper that kind of influence which a vain man, full of schemes that
are not to be told to all the world, but which it is convenient to
discuss with some confidential friend who admires himself too highly not
to respect his secrets, mechanically yields to a woman whose wits are
superior to his own.

It is true that Jasper, on his return to the metropolis, was not
magnetically attracted towards Podden Place; nay, days and even weeks
elapsed, and Mrs. Crane was not gladdened by his presence. But she knew
that her influence was only suspended,--not extinct. The body attracted
was for the moment kept from the body attracting by the abnormal weights
that had dropped into its pockets. Restore the body thus temporarily
counterpoised to its former lightness, and it would turn to Podden Place
as the needle to the Pole. Meanwhile, oblivious of all such natural
laws, the disloyal Jasper had fixed himself as far from the reach of the
magnet as from Bloomsbury's remotest verge in St. James's animated
centre. The apartment he engaged was showy and commodious. He added
largely to his wardrobe, his dressing-case, his trinket box. Nor, be it
here observed, was Mr. Losely one of those beauish brigands who wear
tawdry scarves over soiled linen, and paste rings upon unwashed digitals.