Childermass does not speak up to question whether or not Norrell would be doing such a thing right now, at this hour, if he were not here, rescuing him from prison. He knows better than that. For one, Norrell probably would be locked up in his study, doing exactly that. And for another, he knows how to read the other man's defense when he sees it, and he can certainly tell that Norrell is being defensive now. He lets out a tired sigh, before allowing himself to sink down into one of the waiting room chairs.

"I do know," he concedes. "I am sorry that I cannot do anything to hurry them for you. Not this time. They may very well put me back in that cell if I try." And then where will you be, he wonders to himself. He sits back, leaning his head against the wall to look at the other man carefully, to take in the measure of him, before he repeats again, "Why are you here, sir? Why did you not send Lucas, or another in your stead, so that you might have continued your research uninterrupted, in that case?"