Thus it had come to pass that when the tidings reached the prison he was not in a state of expectation.  The governor of the prison knew what was going on, and had for days been looking for the order of release.  But he had not held himself to be justified in acquainting his prisoner with the facts.  The despatches to him and to Caldigate from the Home Office were marked immediate, and by the courtesy of the postmaster were given in at the prison gates before daylight.  Caldigate was still asleep when the door of the cell was opened by the governor in person and the communication was made to him as he lay for the last time stretched on his prison pallet.  ‘You can get up a free man, Mr. Caldigate,’ said the governor, with his hand on his prisoner’s shoulder.  ’I have here the Queen’s pardon.  It has reached me this morning.’  Caldigate got up and looked at the man as though he did not at first understand the words that had been spoken.  ’It is true, Mr. Caldigate.  Here is my authority,—­and this, no doubt, is a communication of the same nature to yourself.’  Then Caldigate took the letter, and, with his mind still bewildered, made himself acquainted with the gratifying fact that all the big-wigs were very sorry for the misfortune which had befallen him.

In his state of mind, as it then was, he was by no means disposed to think much of the injustice done to him.  He had in store for him, for immediate use, a whole world of glorious bliss.  There was his house, his property, his farm, his garden, and the free air.  And there would be the knowledge of all those around him that he had not done the treacherous thing of which those wretches had accused him.

And added to all this, and above all this, there would be his wife and his child!  It was odd enough that a word from the mouth of an exalted Parliamentary personage should be able to give him back one wife and release him from another,—­in opposition to the decision of the law,—­should avail to restore to his boy the name and birthright of which he had been practically deprived, and should, by a stroke of his pen, undo all that had been done by the combined efforts of jury, judge, and prosecutor!  But he found that so it was.  He was pardoned, forsooth, as though he were still a guilty man!  Yet he would have back his wife and child, and no one could gainsay him.

‘When can I go?’ he said, jumping from his bed.

’When you please;—­now, at once.  But you had better come into the house and breakfast with me first.’

’If I may I would rather go instantly.  Can you send for a carriage for me?’ Then the governor endeavoured to explain to him that it would be better for his wife, and more comfortable for everybody concerned, that she should have been enabled to expect him, if it were only for an hour or two, before his arrival.  A communication would doubtless have been made from the Home Office to some one at Folking, and as that would be sent out by the foot-postman it would not be received before nine in the morning.