life.
Colin
had
said
he
would
trust
as
she
did
,
but
those
words
had
made
her
aware
that
she
must
trust
as
he
did
.
If
he
,
with
his
clear
sense
and
kindly
insight
into
Edward’s
character
,
became
convinced
that
his
absence
proceeded
from
anything
worse
than
the
mere
fainthearted
indifference
that
would
not
wipe
off
a
blot
,
then
Ermine
felt
that
his
judgment
would
carry
her
own
along
with
it
,
and
that
she
should
lose
her
undoubting
faith
in
her
brother’s
perfect
innocence
,
and
in
that
case
her
mind
was
made
up
;
Colin
might
say
and
do
what
he
would
,
but
she
would
never
connect
him
through
herself
with
deserved
disgrace
.
The
parting
,
after
these
months
of
intercourse
and
increased
knowlege
of
one
another
,
would
be
infinitely
more
wretched
than
the
first
;
but
,
cost
her
what
it
would
—
her
life
perhaps
—
the
break
should
be
made
rather
than
let
his
untainted
name
be
linked
with
one
where
dishonour
justly
rested
.
But
with
her
constant
principle
of
abstinence
from
dwelling
on
contingencies
,
she
strove
to
turn
away
her
mind
,
and
to
exert
herself
;
though
this
was
no
easy
task
,
especially
on
so
solitary
a
day
as
this
,
while
Alison
was
in
charge
at
Myrtlewood
in
Lady
Temple’s
absence
,
and
Rachel
Curtis
was
reported
far
too
ill
to
leave
her
room
,
so
that
Ermine
saw
no
one
all
day
except
her
constant
little
companion
;
nor
was
it
till
towards
evening
that
Alison
at
length
made
her
appearance
,
bringing
a
note
which
Colin
had
sent
home
by
Lady
Temple
.
All
had
so
far
gone
well
.
Maria
Hatherton
had
been
committed
to
take
her
trial
at
the
quarter
sessions
for
the
assault
upon
the
children
;
but
,
as
her
own
little
girl
was
still
living
,
though
in
extreme
danger
,
and
the
Sisters
promised
to
take
charge
of
both
for
the
present
,
Colonel
Keith
had
thought
it
only
common
humanity
to
offer
bail
,
and
this
had
been
accepted
.
Later
in
the
day
Mauleverer
himself
had
been
brought
down
,
having
been
taken
up
at
a
grand
meeting
of
his
Bristol
friends
,
who
had
all
rallied
round
him
,
expressing
strong
indignation
at
the
accusation
,
and
offering
evidence
as
to
character
.
He
denied
any
knowledge
of
the
name
of
Maddox
,
and
declared
that
he
was
able
to
prove
that
his
own
account
of
himself
as
a
popular
,
philanthropical
lecturer
was
perfectly
correct
;
and
he
professed
to
be
much
amazed
at
the
charges
brought
against
him
,
which
could
only
have
arisen
from
some
sudden
alarm
in
the
young
lady’s
mind
,
excited
by
her
friends
,
whom
he
had
always
observed
to
be
prejudiced
against
him
.
He
appealed
strongly
against
the
hardship
of
being
imprisoned
on
so
slight
a
charge
;
but
,
as
he
could
find
no
one
to
take
his
part
,
he
reserved
his
defence
for
the
quarter
sessions
,
for
which
he
was
fully
committed
.
Colin
thought
,
however
,
that
it
was
so
doubtful
whether
the
charges
against
him
could
be
substantiated
,
that
it
was
highly
necessary
to
be
fully
prepared
to
press
the
former
forgery
against
him
,
and
had
therefore
decided
upon
sleeping
at
St.
Norbert’s
and
going
on
by
an
early
train
to
obtain
legal
advice
in
London
,
and
then
to
see
Harry
Beauchamp
.
Meantime
,
Ermine
must
write
to
her
brother
as
urgently
as
possible
,
backing
up
Colin’s
own
representations
of
the
necessity
of
his
return
.
Ermine
read
eagerly
,
but
Alison
seemed
hardly
able
to
command
her
attention
to
listen
,
and
scarcely
waited
for
the
end
of
the
letter
before
her
own
disclosure
was
made
.
Francis
was
sickening
with
diphtheria
;
he
had
been
left
behind
in
the
morning
on
account
of
some
outbreak
of
peevishness
,
and
Alison
,
soon
becoming
convinced
that
temper
was
not
solely
in
fault
,
had
kept
him
apart
from
his
brothers
,
and
at
last
had
sent
for
the
doctor
,
who
had
at
once
pronounced
it
to
be
the
same
deadly
complaint
which
had
already
declared
itself
in
Rachel
Curtis
.
Alison
had
of
course
devoted
herself
to
the
little
boy
till
his
mother’s
return
from
St.
Norbert’s
,
when
she
had
been
obliged
to
give
the
first
intimation
of
what
the
price
of
the
loving
little
widow’s
exploit
might
be
.
“
I
don’t
think
she
realizes
the
extent
of
the
illness
,
”
said
Alison
;
“
say
what
I
would
,
she
would
keep
on
thanking
me
breathlessly
,
and
only
wanting
to
escape
to
him
.
I
asked
if
we
should
send
to
let
Colin
know
,
and
she
answered
in
her
dear
,
unselfish
way
,
‘By
no
means
,
it
would
be
safer
for
him
to
be
out
of
the
way
,
’
and
,
besides
,
she
knew
how
much
depended
on
his
going
.
”
“
She
is
right
,
”
said
Ermine
;
“
I
am
thankful
that
he
is
out
of
reach
of
trying
to
take
a
share
in
the
nursing
,
it
is
bad
enough
to
have
one
in
the
midst
!
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Alison
.
“
Lady
Temple
cannot
be
left
to
bear
this
grievous
trouble
alone
,
and
when
the
Homestead
cannot
help
her
.
Yet
,
Ermine
,
what
can
be
done
?
Is
it
safe
for
you
and
Rose
?
”
“
Certainly
not
safe
that
you
should
come
backwards
and
forwards
,
”
said
Ermine
.
“
Rose
must
not
be
put
in
danger
;
so
,
dear
,
dear
Ailie
,
you
had
better
take
your
things
up
,
and
only
look
in
on
us
now
and
then
at
the
window
.
”
Alison
entirely
broke
down
.
“
Oh
,
Ermine
,
Ermine
,
since
you
began
to
mend
,
not
one
night
have
we
been
apart
!
”
“
Silly
child
,
”
said
Ermine
,
straining
her
quivering
voice
to
be
cheerful
,
“
I
am
strong
,
and
Rose
is
my
best
little
handmaid
.
”
“
I
know
it
is
right
,
”
said
Alison
,
“
I
could
not
keep
from
my
boys
,
and
,
indeed
,
now
Colin
is
gone
,
I
do
not
think
any
one
at
Myrtlewood
will
have
the
heart
to
carry
out
the
treatment
.
It
will
almost
kill
that
dear
young
mother
to
see
it
.
No
,
they
cannot
be
left
;
but
oh
,
Ermine
,
it
is
like
choosing
between
you
and
them
.
”
“
Not
at
all
,
it
is
choosing
between
right
and
wrong
.
”
“
And
Ermine
,
if
—
if
I
should
be
ill
,
you
must
not
think
of
coming
near
me
.
Rose
must
not
be
left
alone
.
”
“
There
is
no
use
in
talking
of
such
things
,
”
said
Ermine
,
resolutely
,
“
let
us
think
of
what
must
be
thought
of
,
not
of
what
is
in
the
only
Wise
Hands
.
What
has
been
done
about
the
other
children
?
”
“
I
have
kept
them
away
from
the
first
;
I
am
afraid
for
none
of
them
but
Conrade
.
”
“
It
would
be
the
wisest
way
to
send
them
,
nurses
and
all
,
to
Gowanbrae
.
”
“
Wise
,
but
cool
,
”
said
Alison
.
“
I
will
settle
that
,
”
returned
Ermine
.
“
Tibbie
shall
come
and
invite
them
,
and
you
must
make
Lady
Temple
consent
.
”
The
sisters
durst
not
embrace
,
but
gazed
at
one
another
,
feeling
that
it
might
be
their
last
look
,
their
hearts
swelling
with
unspoken
prayer
,
but
their
features
so
restrained
that
neither
might
unnerve
the
other
.
Then
it
was
that
Alison
,
for
the
first
time
,
felt
absolute
relief
in
the
knowledge
,
once
so
bitter
,
that
she
had
ceased
to
be
the
whole
world
to
her
sister
.
And
Ermine
,
for
one
moment
,
felt
as
if
it
would
be
a
way
out
of
all
troubles
and
perplexities
if
the
two
sisters
could
die
together
,
and
leave
little
Rose
to
be
moulded
by
Colin
to
be
all
he
wished
;
but
she
resolutely
put
aside
the
future
,
and
roused
herself
to
send
a
few
words
in
pencil
,
requesting
Tibbie
to
step
in
and
speak
to
her
.
That
worthy
personage
had
fully
adopted
her
,
and
entering
,
tall
and
stately
,
in
her
evening
black
silk
and
white
apron
,
began
by
professing
her
anxiety
to
be
any
assistance
in
her
power
,
saying
,
“
she’d
be
won’erfu’
proud
to
serve
Miss
Williams
,
while
her
sister
was
sae
thrang
waitin’
on
her
young
scholar
in
his
sair
trouble
.
”
Emmie
thanked
her
,
and
rejoiced
that
the
Colonel
was
out
of
harm’s
way
.
“
Deed
,
aye
,
ma’am
,
he’s
weel
awa’
.
He
has
sic
a
wark
wi’
thae
laddies
an’
their
bit
bairn
o’
a
mither
,
I’ll
no
say
he’d
been
easy
keepit
out
o’
the
thick
o’
the
distress
,
an’
it’s
may
be
no
surprisin’
,
after
a’
that’s
come
and
gane
,
that
he
seeks
to
take
siccan
a
lift
of
the
concern
.
I’ve
mony
a
time
heard
tell
that
the
auld
General
,
Sir
Stephen
,
was
as
good
as
a
faither
to
him
,
when
he
was
sick
an’
lonesome
,
puir
lad
,
in
yon
far
awa’
land
o’
wild
beasts
an’
savages
.
”
“
Would
it
not
be
what
he
might
like
,
to
take
in
the
children
out
of
the
way
of
infection
?
”
“
‘Deed
,
Miss
Ermine
,
”
with
a
significant
curtsey
,
“
I’m
thinkin’
ye
ken
my
maister
Colin
amaist
as
weel
as
I
do
.
He’s
the
true
son
of
his
forbears
,
an’
Gowanbrae
used
to
be
always
open
in
the
auld
lord’s
time
,
that’s
his
grandfather
Foreby
,
that
he
owes
so
much
kindness
to
the
General
.
”
Ermine
further
suggested
that
it
was
a
pity
to
wait
for
a
letter
from
the
Colonel
,
and
Tibbie
quite
agreed
.
She
“
liked
the
nurse
as
an
extraordinar’
douce
woman
,
not
like
the
fine
English
madams
that
Miss
Isabel
—
that’s
Mrs.
Comyn
Menteith
—
put
about
her
bairns
;
and
as
to
room
,
the
sergeant
and
the
tailor
bodie
did
not
need
much
,
and
the
masons
were
only
busy
in
the
front
parlour
.
”
“
Masons
?
”
asked
Ermine
.
“
On
,
aye
?
didna
ye
ken
it’s
for
the
new
room
,
that
is
to
be
built
out
frae
the
further
parlour
,
and
what
they
ca’
the
bay
to
the
drawin’-room
,
just
to
mak’
the
house
more
conformable
like
wi’
his
name
and
forbears
.
I
never
thocht
but
that
ye’d
surely
seen
the
plans
and
a’
,
Miss
Ermine
,
an’
if
so
be
it
was
Maister
Colin’s
pleasure
the
thing
suld
be
private
,
I’m
real
vext
to
hae
said
a
word
;
but
ye’ll
may
be
no
let
on
to
him
,
ma’am
,
that
ye
ken
onything
about
it
.
”
“
Those
down-stairs
rooms
so
silently
begun
,
”
thought
Ermine
.
“
How
fixed
his
intention
must
be
?
Oh
,
how
will
it
end
?
What
would
be
best
for
him
?
And
how
can
I
think
of
myseif
,
while
all
,
even
my
Ailie
,
are
in
distress
and
danger
?
”
Ermine
had
,
however
,
a
good
deal
to
think
of
,
for
not
only
had
she
Colin’s
daily
letter
to
answer
,
but
she
had
Conrade
,
Leoline
,
and
Hubert
with
her
for
several
hours
every
day
,
and
could
not
help
being
amused
by
Rose’s
ways
with
them
,
little
grown-up
lady
as
she
was
compared
to
them
.
Luckily
girls
were
such
uncommon
beings
with
them
as
to
be
rather
courted
than
despised
,
and
Rose
,
having
nothing
of
the
tom-boy
,
did
not
forfeit
the
privileges
of
her
sex
.
She
did
not
think
they
compensated
for
her
Colonel’s
absence
,
and
never
durst
introduce
Violetta
to
them
;
but
she
enjoyed
and
profited
by
the
contact
with
childhood
,
and
was
a
very
nice
little
comforter
to
Conrade
when
he
was
taken
with
a
fit
of
anxiety
for
the
brother
whom
he
missed
every
moment
.
Quarantine
weighed
,
however
,
most
heavily
upon
poor
Grace
Curtis
.
Rachel
had
from
the
first
insisted
that
she
should
be
kept
out
of
her
room
;
and
the
mother’s
piteous
entreaty
always
implied
that
saddest
argument
,
“
Why
should
I
be
deprived
of
you
both
in
one
day
?
”
So
Grace
found
herself
condemned
to
uselessness
almost
as
complete
as
Ermine’s
.
She
could
only
answer
notes
,
respond
to
inquiries
,
without
even
venturing
far
enough
from
the
house
to
see
Ermine
,
or
take
out
the
Temple
children
for
a
walk
.
For
indeed
,
Rachel’s
state
was
extremely
critical
.
The
feverish
misery
that
succeeded
Lovedy’s
death
had
been
utterly
crushing
,
the
one
load
of
self-accusation
had
prostrated
her
,
but
with
a
restlessness
of
agony
,
that
kept
her
writhing
as
it
were
in
her
wretchedness
;
and
then
came
the
gradual
increase
of
physical
suffering
,
bearing
in
upon
her
that
she
had
caught
the
fatal
disorder
.
To
her
sense
of
justice
,
and
her
desire
to
wreak
vengeance
on
herself
,
the
notion
might
be
grateful
;
but
the
instinct
of
self-preservation
was
far
stronger
.
She
could
not
die
.
The
world
here
,
the
world
to
come
,
were
all
too
dark
,
too
confused
,
to
enable
her
to
bear
such
a
doom
.
She
saw
her
peril
in
her
mother’s
face
;
in
the
reiterated
visits
of
the
medical
man
,
whom
she
no
longer
spurned
;
in
the
calling
in
of
the
Avoncester
physician
;
in
the
introduction
of
a
professional
nurse
,
and
the
strong
and
agonizing
measures
to
which
she
had
to
submit
,
every
time
with
the
sensation
that
the
suffering
could
not
possibly
be
greater
without
exceeding
the
powers
of
endurance
.
Then
arose
the
thought
that
with
weakness
she
should
lose
all
chance
of
expressing
a
wish
,
and
,
obtaining
pencil
and
paper
,
she
began
to
write
a
charge
to
her
mother
and
sister
to
provide
for
Mary
Morris
;
but
in
the
midst
there
came
over
her
the
remembrance
of
the
papers
that
she
had
placed
in
Mauleverer’s
hands
—
the
title-deeds
of
the
Burnaby
Bargain
;
an
estate
that
perhaps
ought
to
be
bringing
in
as
much
as
half
the
rental
of
the
property
.
It
must
be
made
good
to
the
poor
.
If
the
title-deeds
had
been
sold
to
any
one
who
could
claim
the
property
,
what
would
be
the
consequence
?
She
felt
herself
in
a
mist
of
ignorance
and
perplexity
;
dreading
the
consequences
,
yet
feeling
as
if
her
own
removal
might
leave
her
fortune
free
to
make
up
for
them
.
She
tried
to
scrawl
an
explanation
;
but
mind
and
fingers
were
alike
unequal
to
the
task
,
and
she
desisted
just
as
fresh
torture
began
at
the
doctor’s
hands
—
torture
from
which
they
sent
her
mother
away
,
and
that
left
her
exhausted
,
and
despairing
of
holding
out
through
a
repetition
.
And
then
—
and
then
!
“
Tell
me
of
my
Saviour
,
”
the
dying
child
had
said
;
and
the
drawn
face
had
lightened
at
the
words
to
which
Rachel’s
oracles
declared
that
people
attached
crude
or
arbitrary
meanings
;
and
now
she
hardly
knew
what
they
conveyed
to
her
,
and
longed
,
as
for
something
far
away
,
for
the
reality
of
those
simple
teachings
—
once
realities
,
now
all
by
rote
!
Saved
by
faith
!
What
was
faith
?
Could
all
depend
on
a
last
sensation
?
And
as
to
her
life
.
Failure
,
failure
through
headstrong
blindness
and
self-will
,
resulting
in
the
agony
of
the
innocent
.
Was
this
ground
of
hope
?
She
tried
to
think
of
progress
and
purification
beyond
the
grave
;
but
this
was
the
most
speculative
,
insecure
fabric
of
all
.
There
was
no
habit
of
trust
to
it
—
no
inward
conviction
,
no
outward
testimony
.
And
even
when
the
extreme
danger
subsided
,
and
Francis
Temple
was
known
to
be
better
,
Rachel
found
that
her
sorrow
was
not
yet
ended
:
for
Conrade
had
been
brought
home
with
the
symptoms
of
the
complaint
—
Conrade
,
the
most
beloved
and
loving
of
Fanny’s
little
ones
,
the
only
one
who
really
remembered
his
father
,
was
in
exceeding
,
almost
hopeless
peril
,
watched
day
and
night
by
his
mother
and
Miss
Williams
.
The
little
Alice
,
Maria
Hatherton’s
own
child
,
had
lingered
and
struggled
long
,
but
all
the
care
and
kindness
of
the
good
Sisters
at
St.
Norbert’s
had
been
unavailing
,
she
had
sunk
at
last
,
and
the
mother
remained
in
a
dull
,
silent
,
tearless
misery
,
quietly
doing
all
that
was
required
of
her
,
but
never
speaking
nor
giving
the
ladies
any
opening
to
try
to
make
an
impression
upon
her
.
Rachel
gleaned
more
intelligence
than
her
mother
meant
her
to
obtain
,
and
brooded
over
it
in
her
weakness
and
her
silence
.
Recovery
is
often
more
trying
than
illness
,
and
Rachel
suffered
greatly
.
Indeed
,
she
was
not
sure
that
she
ought
to
have
recovered
at
all
,
and
perhaps
the
shock
to
her
nerves
and
spirits
was
more
serious
than
the
effect
of
the
sharp
passing
disorder
,
which
had
,
however
,
so
much
weakened
her
that
she
succumbed
entirely
to
the
blow
.
“
Accountable
for
all
,
”
the
words
still
rang
in
her
ears
,
and
the
all
for
which
she
was
accountable
continually
magnified
itself
.
She
had
tied
a
dreadful
knot
,
which
Fanny
,
meek
contemned
Fanny
had
cut
,
but
at
the
cost
of
grievous
suffering
and
danger
to
her
boys
,
and
too
late
to
prevent
that
death
which
continually
haunted
Rachel
;
those
looks
of
convulsive
agony
came
before
her
in
all
her
waking
and
sleeping
intervals
.
Nothing
put
them
aside
,
occupation
in
her
weakness
only
bewildered
and
distracted
her
,
and
even
though
she
was
advancing
daily
towards
convalescence
,
leaving
her
room
,
and
being
again
restored
to
her
sister
,
she
still
continued
listless
,
dejected
,
cast
down
,
and
unable
to
turn
her
mind
from
this
one
dreary
contemplation
.
Of
Fanny
and
her
sons
it
was
hardly
possible
to
think
,
and
one
of
the
strange
perturbations
of
the
mind
in
illness
caused
her
to
dwell
far
less
on
them
than
on
the
minor
misery
of
the
fate
of
the
title-deeds
of
the
Burnaby
Bargain
,
which
she
had
put
into
Mauleverer’s
hand
.
She
fancied
their
falling
into
the
hands
of
some
speculator
,
who
,
if
he
did
not
break
the
mother’s
heart
by
putting
up
a
gasometer
,
would
certainly
wring
it
by
building
hideous
cottages
,
or
desirable
marine
residences
.
The
value
would
be
enhanced
so
as
to
be
equal
to
more
than
half
that
of
the
Homestead
,
the
poor
would
have
been
cheated
of
it
,
and
what
compensation
could
be
made
?
Give
up
all
her
own
share
?
Nay
,
she
had
nothing
absolutely
her
own
while
her
mother
lived
,
only
£
5
,
000
was
settled
on
her
if
she
married
,
and
she
tortured
herself
with
devising
plans
that
she
knew
to
be
impracticable
,
of
stripping
herself
,
and
going
forth
to
suffer
the
poverty
she
merited
.
Yes
,
but
how
would
she
have
lived
?
Not
like
the
Williamses
!
She
had
tried
teaching
like
the
one
,
and
writing
like
the
other
,
but
had
failed
in
both
.
The
Clever
Woman
had
no
marketable
or
available
talent
.
She
knew
very
well
that
nothing
would
induce
her
mother
and
sister
to
let
her
despoil
herself
,
but
to
have
injured
them
would
be
even
more
intolerable
;
and
more
than
all
was
the
sickening
uncertainty
,
whether
any
harm
had
been
done
,
or
what
would
be
its
extent
.
Ignorant
of
such
subjects
at
the
best
,
her
brain
was
devoid
of
force
even
to
reason
out
her
own
conjectures
,
or
to
decide
what
must
be
impossible
.
She
felt
compelled
to
keep
all
to
herself
;
to
alarm
her
mother
was
out
of
the
question
,
when
Mrs.
Curtis
was
distressed
and
shaken
enough
already
,
and
to
have
told
Grace
would
only
have
brought
her
soothing
promises
of
sharing
the
burthen
—
exactly
what
she
did
not
want
—
and
would
have
led
to
the
fact
being
known
to
the
family
man
of
business
,
Mr.
Cox
,
the
very
last
person
to
whom
Rachel
wished
to
confess
the
proceeding
.
It
was
not
so
much
the
humiliation
of
owning
to
him
such
a
fatal
act
of
piracy
upon
his
province
,
as
because
she
believed
him
to
have
been
the
cause
that
the
poor
had
all
this
time
been
cheated
of
the
full
value
of
the
estate
.
He
had
complacently
consulted
the
welfare
of
the
Curtis
family
,
by
charging
them
with
the
rent
of
the
fields
as
ordinary
grass
land
,
and
it
had
never
dawned
on
him
that
it
would
be
only
just
to
increase
the
rent
.
Rachel
had
found
him
an
antagonist
to
every
scheme
she
had
hatched
,
ever
since
she
was
fifteen
years
old
,
her
mother
obeyed
him
with
implicit
faith
,
and
it
was
certain
that
if
the
question
were
once
in
his
hands
,
he
would
regard
it
as
his
duty
to
save
the
Curtis
funds
,
and
let
the
charity
sink
or
swim
.
And
he
was
the
only
person
out
of
the
house
whom
Rachel
had
seen
.
As
soon
as
—
or
rather
before
—
she
could
bear
it
,
the
first
day
that
her
presence
was
supposed
not
to
be
perilous
to
others
,
she
was
obliged
to
have
an
interview
with
him
,
to
enable
him
to
prepare
the
case
for
the
quarter
sessions
.
Nothing
could
be
much
worse
for
her
nerves
and
spirits
,
but
even
the
mother
was
absolutely
convinced
of
the
necessity
,
and
Rachel
was
forced
to
tax
her
enfeebled
powers
to
enable
her
to
give
accurate
details
of
her
relations
with
Mauleverer
,
and
enable
him
to
judge
of
the
form
of
the
indictment
.
Once
or
twice
she
almost
sunk
back
from
the
exceeding
distastefulness
of
the
task
,
but
she
found
herself
urged
on
,
and
when
she
even
asked
what
would
happen
if
she
were
not
well
enough
to
appear
,
she
was
gravely
told
that
she
must
be
—
it
would
be
very
serious
if
she
did
not
make
a
great
effort
,
and
even
her
mother
shook
her
head
,
looked
unhappy
,
but
confirmed
the
admonition
.
A
little
revenge
or
hatred
would
have
been
a
great
help
to
her
,
but
she
could
not
feel
them
as
impulses
.
If
it
had
been
the
woman
,
she
could
have
gladly
aided
in
visiting
such
cruelty
upon
her
,
but
this
had
not
been
directly
chargeable
upon
Mauleverer
;
and
though
Rachel
felt
acutely
that
he
had
bitterly
abused
her
confidence
,
she
drooped
too
much
to
feel
the
spirit
of
retort
.
The
notion
of
being
confronted
with
him
before
all
the
world
at
Avoncester
,
and
being
made
to
bring
about
his
punishment
,
was
simply
dreadful
to
her
,
but
when
she
murmured
some
word
of
this
to
her
mother
,
Mrs.
Curtis
fairly
started
,
and
said
quite
fiercely
,
“
My
dear
,
don’t
let
me
hear
you
say
any
such
thing
.
He
is
a
very
wicked
man
,
and
you
ought
to
be
glad
to
have
him
punished
!
”
She
really
spoke
as
if
she
had
been
rebuking
some
infringement
of
decorum
,
and
Rachel
was
quite
startled
.
She
asked
Grace
why
the
mother
was
so
bent
on
making
her
vindictive
,
but
Grace
only
answered
that
every
one
must
be
very
much
shocked
,
and
turned
away
the
subject
.
Prudent
Grace
!
Her
whole
soul
was
in
a
tumult
of
wrath
and
shame
at
what
she
knew
to
be
the
county
gossip
,
but
she
was
aware
that
Rachel’s
total
ignorance
of
it
was
the
only
chance
of
her
so
comporting
herself
in
court
as
to
silence
the
rumour
,
and
she
and
her
mother
were
resolutely
discreet
.
Mrs.
Curtis
,
between
nursing
,
anxiety
,
and
worry
,
looked
lamentably
knocked
up
,
and
at
last
Grace
and
Rachel
prevailed
on
her
to
take
a
drive
,
leaving
Rachel
on
a
sofa
in
her
sitting-room
,
to
what
was
no
small
luxury
to
her
just
at
present
—
that
of
being
miserable
alone
—
without
meeting
any
one’s
anxious
eyes
,
or
knowing
that
her
listlessness
was
wounding
the
mother’s
heart
.
Yet
the
privilege
only
resulted
in
a
fresh
perturbation
about
the
title-deeds
,
and
longing
to
consult
some
one
who
could
advise
and
sympathize
.
Ermine
Williams
would
have
understood
and
made
her
Colonel
give
help
,
but
Ermine
seemed
as
unattainable
as
Nova
Zembla
,
and
she
only
heard
that
the
Colonel
was
absent
.
Her
head
as
aching
with
the
weary
load
of
doubt
,
and
she
tried
to
cheat
her
woe
by
a
restless
movement
to
the
windows
.
She
saw
Captain
Keith
riding
to
the
door
.
It
suddenly
darted
into
her
mind
that
here
was
one
who
could
and
would
help
her
.
He
could
see
Mauleverer
and
ascertain
what
had
become
of
the
deeds
;
he
could
guess
at
the
amount
of
danger
!
She
could
not
forget
his
kindness
on
the
night
of
Lovedy’s
illness
,
or
the
gentleness
of
his
manner
about
the
woodcuts
,
and
with
a
sudden
impulse
she
rang
the
bell
and
desired
that
Captain
Keith
might
be
shown
in
.
She
was
still
standing
leaning
on
the
table
when
he
entered
.
“
This
is
very
good
in
you
,
”
he
said
;
“
I
met
your
mother
and
sister
on
my
way
up
,
and
they
asked
me
to
leave
word
of
Conrade
being
better
,
but
they
did
not
tell
me
I
should
see
you
.
”
“
Conrade
is
better
?
”
said
Rachel
,
sitting
down
,
unable
to
stand
longer
.
“
Yes
,
his
throat
is
better
.
Miss
Williams’s
firmness
saved
him
.
They
think
him
quite
out
of
danger
.
”
“
Thank
Heaven
!
Oh
,
I
could
never
have
seen
his
mother
again
!
Oh
,
she
has
been
the
heroine
!
”
“
In
the
truest
sense
of
the
word
,
”
he
answered
.
And
Rachel
looked
up
with
one
moment’s
brightening
at
the
old
allusion
,
but
her
oppression
was
too
great
for
cheerfulness
,
and
she
answered
—
“
Dear
Fanny
,
yes
,
she
will
be
a
rebuke
to
me
for
ever
!
But
,
”
she
added
,
before
he
had
time
to
inquire
for
her
health
,
“
I
wanted
—
I
wanted
to
beg
you
to
do
me
a
service
.
You
were
so
kind
the
other
night
.
”
His
reply
was
to
lean
earnestly
forward
,
awaiting
her
words
,
and
she
told
him
briefly
of
her
grievous
perplexity
about
the
title-deeds
.
“
Then
,
”
he
said
,
“
you
would
wish
for
me
to
see
the
man
and
ascertain
how
he
has
disposed
of
them
.
”
“
I
should
be
most
grateful
!
”
“
I
will
do
my
utmost
.
Perhaps
I
may
not
succeed
immediately
,
as
I
believe
visitors
are
not
admitted
every
day
,
and
he
is
said
to
be
busy
preparing
his
defence
,
but
I
will
try
,
and
let
you
know
.
”
“
Thanks
,
thanks
!
The
doubt
is
terrible
,
for
I
know
worry
about
it
would
distract
my
mother
.
”
“
I
do
not
imagine
,
”
he
said
,
“
that
much
worse
consequences
than
worry
could
ensue
.
But
there
are
none
more
trying
.
”
“
Oh
not
none
!
”
“
Do
not
let
worry
about
this
increase
other
ills
,
”
he
said
,
kindly
,
“
do
not
think
about
this
again
till
you
hear
from
me
.
”
“
Is
that
possible
?
”
“
I
should
not
have
thought
so
,
if
I
had
not
watched
my
uncle
cast
off
troubles
about
his
eye-sight
and
the
keeping
his
living
.
”
“
Ah
!
but
those
were
not
of
his
own
making
.
”
“
‘There
is
a
sparkle
even
in
the
darkest
water.’
That
was
a
saying
of
his
,
”
said
Alick
,
looking
anxiously
at
her
pale
cheek
and
down-cast
eye
.
“
Not
when
they
are
turbid
.
”
“
They
will
clear
,
”
he
said
,
and
smiled
with
a
look
of
encouraging
hope
that
again
cheered
her
in
spite
of
herself
.
“
Meantime
remember
that
in
any
way
I
can
help
you
,
it
will
be
the
greatest
favour
—
”
he
checked
himself
as
he
observed
the
exceeding
languor
and
lassitude
apparent
in
her
whole
person
,
and
only
said
,
“
My
sister
is
too
much
at
the
bottom
of
it
for
me
not
to
feel
it
the
greatest
kindness
to
me
to
let
me
try
to
be
of
the
slightest
use
.
I
believe
I
had
better
go
now
,
”
as
he
rose
and
looked
at
her
wistfully
;
“
you
are
too
much
tired
to
talk
.
”
“
I
believe
I
am
,
”
she
said
,
almost
reluctantly
,
“
but
thank
you
,
this
has
done
me
good
.
”
“
And
you
are
really
getting
better
?
”
“
Yes
,
I
believe
so
.
Perhaps
I
may
feel
it
when
this
terrible
day
is
over
.
”
What
a
comfort
it
would
be
,
she
said
to
herself
,
when
he
was
gone
,
if
we
had
but
a
near
relation
like
him
,
who
would
act
for
the
mother
,
instead
of
our
being
delivered
up
,
bound
hand
and
foot
,
to
Mr.
Cox
.
It
would
have
been
refreshing
to
have
kept
him
now
,
if
I
could
have
done
it
without
talking
;
it
really
seemed
to
keep
the
horrible
thoughts
in
abeyance
,
to
hear
that
wonderfully
gentle
tone
!
And
how
kind
and
soft
the
look
was
!
I
do
feel
stronger
for
it
!
Will
it
really
be
better
after
next
week
?
Alas
!
that
will
have
undone
nothing
.
Yet
even
this
perception
of
a
possibility
of
hope
that
there
would
be
relief
after
the
ordeal
,
was
new
to
Rachel
;
and
it
soon
gave
way
to
that
trying
feature
of
illness
,
the
insurmountable
dread
of
the
mere
physical
fatigue
.
The
Dean
of
Avoncester
,
a
kind
old
friend
of
Mrs.
Curtis
,
had
insisted
on
the
mother
and
daughters
coming
to
sleep
at
the
Deanery
,
on
the
Tuesday
night
,
and
remaining
till
the
day
after
the
trial
;
but
Rachel’s
imagination
was
not
even
as
yet
equal
to
the
endurance
of
the
long
drive
,
far
less
of
the
formality
of
a
visit
.
Lady
Temple
was
likewise
asked
to
the
Deanery
,
but
Conrade
was
still
too
ill
for
her
to
think
of
leaving
him
for
more
than
the
few
needful
hours
of
the
trial
;
nor
had
Alison
been
able
to
do
more
than
pay
an
occasional
visit
at
her
sister’s
window
to
exchange
reports
,
and
so
absorbed
was
she
in
her
boys
and
their
mother
,
that
it
was
quite
an
effort
of
recollection
to
keep
up
to
Ermine’s
accounts
of
Colonel
Keith’s
doings
.
It
was
on
the
Monday
afternoon
,
the
first
time
she
had
ventured
into
the
room
,
taking
advantage
of
Rose
having
condescended
to
go
out
with
the
Temple
nursery
establishment
,
when
she
found
Ermine’s
transparent
face
all
alive
with
expectation
.
“
He
may
come
any
time
now
,
”
she
said
;
“
his
coming
to-day
or
to-morrow
was
to
depend
on
his
getting
his
business
done
on
Saturday
or
not
.
”
And
in
a
few
minutes’
time
the
well-known
knock
was
heard
,
and
Ermine
,
with
a
look
half
arch
half
gay
,
surprised
her
sister
by
rising
with
the
aid
of
the
arm
of
her
chair
,
and
adjusting
a
crutch
that
had
been
leaning
against
it
.
“
Why
Ermine
!
you
could
not
bear
the
jarring
of
that
crutch
—
”
“
Five
or
six
years
ago
,
Ailie
,
when
I
was
a
much
poorer
creature
,
”
then
as
the
door
opened
,
“
I
would
make
you
a
curtsey
,
Colonel
Keith
,
but
I
am
afraid
I
can’t
quite
do
that
,
”
though
still
she
moved
nearer
to
meet
him
,
but
perhaps
there
was
a
look
of
helplessness
which
made
her
exultation
piteous
,
for
he
responded
with
an
exclamation
of
alarm
,
put
out
his
arm
to
support
her
,
and
did
not
relax
a
frown
of
anxiety
till
he
had
placed
her
safe
in
her
chair
again
,
while
she
laughed
perhaps
a
little
less
freely
,
and
said
,
“
See
what
it
is
to
have
had
to
shift
for
oneself
!
”
“
You
met
me
with
your
eyes
the
first
time
,
Ermine
,
and
I
never
missed
anything
.
”
“
Well
,
I
think
it
is
hard
not
to
have
been
more
congratulated
on
my
great
achievement
!
I
thought
I
should
have
had
at
least
as
much
credit
as
Widdrington
,
my
favourite
hero
and
model
.
”
“
When
you
have
an
arm
to
support
you
it
may
be
all
very
well
,
and
I
shall
never
stand
it
without
.
”
Then
,
as
Ermine
subsided
,
unprepared
with
a
reply
,
“
Well
,
Ailie
,
how
are
your
boys
?
”
“
Both
much
better
,
Francis
nearly
well
.
”
“
You
have
had
a
terrible
time
!
And
their
mother
?
”
“
Dearer
and
sweeter
than
ever
,
”
said
Alison
,
with
her
voice
trembling
;
“
no
one
who
has
not
seen
her
now
can
guess
half
what
she
is
!
”
“
I
hope
she
has
not
missed
me
.
If
this
matter
had
not
been
so
pressing
,
I
could
not
have
stayed
away
.
”
“
The
one
message
she
always
gave
me
was
,
that
you
were
not
to
think
of
coming
home
;
and
,
indeed
,
those
dear
boys
were
so
good
,
that
we
managed
very
well
without
you
.
”
“
Yes
,
I
had
faith
in
your
discipline
,
and
I
think
that
matters
are
in
train
against
Edward
comes
.
Of
course
there
is
no
letter
,
or
you
would
have
told
me
.
”
“
He
will
be
coming
himself
,
”
said
Ermine
,
resolved
against
again
expressing
a
doubt
;
while
Alison
added
that
he
hated
letter-writing
.
“
Nothing
could
be
more
satisfactory
than
Beauchamp’s
letter
,
”
added
Colin
.
“
He
was
so
thoroughly
convinced
,
that
he
immediately
began
to
believe
that
he
had
trusted
Edward
all
along
,
and
had
only
been
overruled
.
”
“
I
dare
say
,
”
said
Ermine
,
laughing
;
“
I
can
quite
fancy
honest
Harry
completely
persuaded
that
he
was
Edward’s
champion
,
while
Maddox
was
turning
him
round
his
finger
.
”
“
And
such
is
his
good
faith
,
that
I
hope
he
will
make
Edward
believe
the
same
!
I
told
you
of
his
sending
his
love
to
you
,
and
of
his
hopes
that
you
would
some
day
come
and
see
the
old
place
.
He
made
his
wife
quite
cordial
.
”
Alison
did
not
feel
herself
obliged
to
accept
the
message
,
and
Ermine
could
freely
say
,
“
Poor
Harry
!
I
should
like
to
see
him
again
!
He
would
be
exactly
the
same
,
I
dare
say
.
And
how
does
the
old
place
look
?
”
“
Just
what
I
do
not
want
you
to
see
.
They
have
found
out
that
the
Rectory
is
unhealthy
,
and
stuck
up
a
new
bald
house
on
the
top
of
the
hill
;
and
the
Hall
is
new
furnished
in
colours
that
set
one’s
teeth
on
edge
.
Nothing
is
like
itself
but
Harry
,
and
he
only
when
you
get
him
off
duty
—
without
his
wife
!
I
was
glad
to
get
away
to
Belfast
.
”
“
And
there
,
judging
from
Julia’s
letter
,
they
must
have
nearly
devoured
you
.
”
“
They
were
very
hospitable
.
Your
sister
is
not
so
very
unlike
you
,
Ermine
?
”
“
Oh
,
Colin
!
”
exclaimed
Alison
,
with
an
indignation
of
which
she
became
ashamed
,
and
added
,
by
way
of
making
it
better
,
“
Perhaps
not
so
very
.
”
“
She
was
very
gracious
to
me
,
”
said
Colin
,
smiling
,
“
and
we
had
much
pleasant
talk
of
you
.
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Ermine
,
“
it
will
be
a
great
pleasure
to
poor
Julia
to
be
allowed
to
take
us
up
again
,
and
you
thought
the
doctor
sufficiently
convinced
.
”
“
More
satisfactorily
so
than
Harry
,
for
he
reasoned
out
the
matter
,
and
seems
to
me
to
have
gone
more
by
his
impression
that
a
man
could
not
be
so
imprudent
as
Edward
in
good
faith
than
by
Maddox’s
representation
.
”
“
That
is
true
,
”
said
Alison
,
“
he
held
out
till
Edward
refused
to
come
home
,
and
then
nothing
would
make
him
listen
to
a
word
on
his
behalf
.
”
“
And
it
will
be
so
again
,
”
thought
Ermine
,
with
a
throb
at
her
heart
.
Then
she
asked
,
“
Did
you
see
whether
there
was
a
letter
for
you
at
home
?
”
“
Yes
,
I
looked
in
,
and
found
only
this
,
which
I
have
only
glanced
at
,
from
Bessie
.
”
“
From
Paris
?
”
“
Yes
,
they
come
home
immediately
after
Easter
.
‘Your
brother
is
resolved
I
should
be
presented
,
and
submit
to
the
whole
season
in
style
;
after
which
he
says
I
may
judge
for
myself.’
What
people
will
do
for
pretty
young
wives
!
Poor
Mary’s
most
brilliant
season
was
a
winter
at
Edinburgh
;
and
it
must
be
his
doing
more
than
hers
,
for
she
goes
on
:
‘Is
it
not
very
hard
to
be
precluded
all
this
time
from
playing
the
chieftainess
in
the
halls
of
my
forefathers
?
I
shall
have
to
run
down
to
your
Gowanbrae
to
refresh
myself
,
and
see
what
you
are
all
about
,
for
I
cannot
get
the
fragment
of
a
letter
from
Alick
;
and
I
met
an
Avoncestrian
the
other
day
,
who
told
me
that
the
whole
county
was
in
a
state
of
excitement
about
the
F
.
U
.
etc.
;
that
every
one
believed
that
the
fascinating
landscape-painter
was
on
the
high
road
to
winning
one
of
the
joint-heiresses
;
but
that
Lady
Temple
—
the
most
incredible
part
of
the
story
—
had
blown
up
the
whole
affair
,
made
her
way
into
the
penetralia
of
the
asylum
,
and
rescued
two
female
‘prentices
,
so
nearly
whipped
to
death
that
it
took
an
infinitesimal
quantity
of
Rachel’s
homoeopathy
to
demolish
one
entirely
,
and
that
the
virtuous
public
was
highly
indignant
that
there
was
no
inquest
nor
trial
for
manslaughter
;
but
that
it
was
certain
that
Rachel
had
been
extremely
ill
ever
since
.
Poor
Rachel
,
there
must
be
some
grain
of
truth
in
all
this
,
but
one
would
like
to
be
able
to
contradict
it
.
I
wrote
to
ask
Alick
the
rights
of
the
story
,
but
he
has
not
vouchsafed
me
a
line
of
reply
;
and
I
should
take
it
as
very
kind
in
you
to
let
me
know
whether
he
is
in
the
land
of
the
living
or
gone
to
Edinburgh
—
as
I
hear
is
to
be
the
lot
of
the
Highlanders
—
or
pining
for
the
uncroquetable
lawn
,
to
which
I
always
told
him
he
had
an
eye.’
”
“
She
may
think
herself
lucky
he
has
not
answered
,
”
said
Ermine
;
“
he
has
always
been
rather
unreasonably
angry
with
her
for
making
the
introduction
.
”
“
That
is
the
reason
he
has
not
,
”
added
Alison
,
“
for
he
is
certainly
not
far
off
.
He
has
been
over
almost
every
day
to
inquire
,
and
played
German
tactics
all
Saturday
afternoon
with
Francis
to
our
great
relief
.
But
I
have
stayed
away
long
enough
.
”
“
I
will
walk
back
with
you
,
Ailie
.
I
must
see
the
good
little
heroine
of
the
most
incredible
part
of
the
story
.
”
Lady
Temple
looked
a
good
deal
paler
than
when
he
had
last
seen
her
,
and
her
eyelids
still
showed
that
they
had
long
arrears
of
sleep
to
make
up
;
but
she
came
down
with
outstretched
hands
and
a
sunny
smile
.
“
They
are
so
much
better
,
and
I
am
so
glad
you
were
not
at
home
in
the
worst
of
it
.
”
“
And
I
am
sorry
to
have
deserted
you
.
”
“
Oh
,
no
,
no
,
it
was
much
better
that
you
should
be
away
.
We
should
all
have
wanted
you
,
and
that
would
have
been
dangerous
,
and
dear
,
dear
Miss
Williams
did
all
that
could
be
done
.
Do
you
know
,
it
taught
me
that
you
were
right
when
you
told
me
I
ought
never
to
rest
till
the
boys
learnt
to
obey
,
for
obedience’
sake
,
at
a
word
.
It
showed
what
a
bad
mother
I
am
,
for
I
am
sure
if
dear
Conrade
had
been
like
what
he
was
last
year
,
even
she
could
not
have
saved
him
,
”
said
Fanny
,
her
eyes
full
of
tears
.
Then
came
her
details
,
to
which
he
listened
,
as
ever
,
like
the
brotherly
friend
he
was
,
and
there
was
a
good
deal
said
about
restoring
the
little
ones
,
who
were
still
at
Gowanbrae
,
to
which
he
would
by
no
means
as
yet
consent
,
though
Fanny
owned
herself
to
have
time
now
to
pine
for
her
Stephana
,
and
to
“
hear
how
dismal
it
is
to
have
a
silent
nursery
.
”
“
Yes
,
it
has
been
a
fearful
time
.
We
little
guessed
how
much
risk
you
ran
when
you
went
to
the
rescue
.
”
“
Dear
Con
,
when
he
thought
—
when
we
thought
he
could
not
get
better
,
said
I
was
not
to
mind
that
,
and
I
don’t
,
”
said
Fanny
.
“
I
thought
it
was
right
,
and
though
I
did
not
know
this
would
come
of
it
,
yet
you
see
God
has
been
very
merciful
,
and
brought
both
of
my
boys
out
of
this
dreadful
illness
,
and
I
dare
say
it
will
do
them
good
all
their
lives
now
it
is
over
.
I
am
sure
it
will
to
me
,
for
I
shall
always
be
more
thankful
.
”
“
Everything
does
you
good
,
”
he
said
.
“
And
another
thing
,
”
she
added
,
eagerly
,
“
it
has
made
me
know
that
dear
Miss
Williams
so
much
better
.
She
was
so
good
,
so
wonderfully
good
,
to
come
away
from
her
sister
to
us
.
I
thought
she
was
quite
gone
the
first
day
,
and
that
I
was
alone
with
my
poor
Francie
,
and
presently
there
she
was
by
my
side
,
giving
me
strength
and
hope
by
her
very
look
.
I
want
to
have
her
for
good
,
I
want
to
make
her
my
sister
!
She
would
teach
the
boys
still
,
for
nobody
else
could
make
them
good
,
but
if
ever
her
sister
could
spare
her
,
she
must
never
go
away
again
.
”
“
You
had
better
see
what
she
says
,
”
replied
the
Colonel
,
with
suppressed
emotion
.
That
night
,
when
Conrade
and
Francis
were
both
fast
asleep
,
their
mother
and
their
governess
sat
over
the
fire
together
,
languid
but
happy
,
and
told
out
their
hearts
to
one
another
—
told
out
more
than
Alison
had
ever
put
into
words
even
to
Ermine
,
for
her
heart
was
softer
and
more
unreserved
now
than
ever
it
had
been
since
her
sister’s
accident
had
crushed
her
youth
.
There
was
thenceforth
a
bond
between
her
and
Lady
Temple
that
gave
the
young
widow
the
strong-hearted
,
sympathizing
,
sisterly
friend
she
had
looked
for
in
Rachel
,
and
that
filled
up
those
yearnings
of
the
affection
that
had
at
first
made
Alison
feel
that
Colin’s
return
made
the
world
dreary
to
her
.
Her
life
had
a
purpose
,
though
that
purpose
was
not
Ermine
!
But
where
were
Edward
and
his
letter
?
CHAPTER
XXI
.
THE
QUARTER
SESSIONS
.
“
Is
it
so
nominated
in
the
bond
?
”
—
Merchant
of
Venice
.
Malgre
her
disinclination
,
Rachel
had
reached
the
point
of
recovery
in
which
the
fresh
air
and
change
of
scene
of
the
drive
to
Avoncester
could
not
fail
to
act
as
restoratives
,
and
the
first
evening
with
the
Dean
and
his
gentle
old
sister
was
refreshing
and
comfortable
to
her
spirits
.
It
was
in
the
afternoon
of
the
ensuing
day
that
Mr.
Grey
came
to
tell
her
that
her
presence
would
soon
be
required
,
and
both
her
mother
and
sister
drove
to
the
court
with
her
.
Poor
Mrs.
Curtis
,
too
anxious
to
go
away
,
yet
too
nervous
to
go
into
court
,
chose
,
in
spite
of
all
Mr.
Grey’s
advice
,
to
remain
in
the
carriage
with
the
blinds
closed
,
far
too
miserable
for
Grace
to
leave
her
.
Rachel
,
though
very
white
,
called
up
a
heroic
smile
,
and
declared
that
she
should
get
on
very
well
.
Her
spirit
had
risen
to
the
occasion
,
so
as
to
brace
her
nerves
to
go
becomingly
through
what
was
inevitable
;
and
she
replied
with
a
ready
“
yes
,
”
to
Mr.
Grey’s
repetition
of
the
advice
for
ever
dinned
into
her
ears
,
not
to
say
a
word
more
than
needful
,
feeling
indeed
little
disposed
to
utter
anything
that
she
could
avoid
.
She
emerged
from
the
dark
passage
into
full
view
of
faces
which
were
far
more
familiar
than
she
could
have
wished
.
She
would
have
greatly
preferred
appearing
before
a
judge
,
robed
,
wigged
,
and
a
stranger
,
to
coming
thus
before
a
country
gentleman
,
slightly
known
to
herself
,
but
an
old
friend
of
her
father
,
and
looking
only
like
his
ordinary
self
.
All
the
world
indeed
was
curious
to
see
the
encounter
between
Rachel
Curtis
and
her
impostor
,
and
every
one
who
had
contributed
so
much
as
a
dozen
stamps
to
the
F
.
U
.
E
.
E
.
felt
as
if
under
a
personal
wrong
and
grievance
,
while
many
hoped
to
detect
other
elements
of
excitement
,
so
that
though
all
did
not
overtly
stare
at
the
witness
,
not
even
the
most
considerate
could
resist
the
impulse
to
glance
at
her
reception
of
the
bow
with
which
he
greeted
her
entrance
.
She
bent
her
head
instinctively
,
but
there
was
no
change
of
colour
on
her
cheek
.
Her
faculties
were
concentrated
,
and
her
resolute
will
had
closed
all
avenues
to
sensations
that
might
impair
her
powers
;
she
would
not
give
way
either
to
shame
and
remorse
for
herself
,
or
to
pity
or
indignation
against
the
prisoner
;
she
would
attend
only
to
the
accuracy
of
the
testimony
that
was
required
of
her
as
an
expiation
of
her
credulous
incaution
;
but
such
was
the
tension
of
her
nerves
,
that
,
impassive
as
she
looked
,
she
heard
every
cough
,
every
rustle
of
paper
;
each
voice
that
addressed
her
seemed
to
cut
her
ears
like
a
knife
;
and
the
chair
that
was
given
to
her
after
the
administration
of
the
oath
was
indeed
much
needed
.
She
was
examined
upon
her
arrangement
that
the
prisoner
should
provide
for
the
asylum
at
St.
Herbert’s
,
and
on
her
monthly
payment
to
him
of
the
sums
entered
in
the
account-book
.
In
some
cases
she
knew
he
had
shown
her
the
bills
unreceipted
;
in
others
,
he
had
simply
made
the
charge
in
the
book
,
and
she
had
given
to
him
the
amount
that
he
estimated
as
requisite
for
the
materials
for
wood-engraving
.
So
far
she
felt
satisfied
that
she
was
making
herself
distinctly
understood
,
but
the
prisoner
,
acting
as
his
own
counsel
,
now
turned
to
her
and
asked
the
question
she
had
expected
and
was
prepared
for
,
whether
she
could
refer
to
any
written
agreement
.
“
No
;
it
was
a
viva
voce
agreement
.
”
Could
she
mention
what
passed
at
the
time
of
making
the
arrangement
that
she
had
stated
as
existing
between
himself
and
her
?
“
I
described
my
plans
,
and
you
consented
.
”
An
answer
at
which
some
of
the
audience
could
have
smiled
,
so
well
did
it
accord
with
her
habits
.
The
prisoner
again
insisted
on
her
defining
the
mode
of
his
becoming
bound
to
the
agreement
.
Rachel
took
time
for
consideration
,
and
Alison
Williams
,
sitting
between
Lady
Temple
and
Colonel
Keith
,
felt
dizzy
with
anxiety
for
the
answer
.
It
came
at
last
.
“
I
do
not
remember
the
exact
words
;
but
you
acquiesced
in
the
appearance
of
your
name
as
secretary
and
treasurer
.
”
The
prospectus
was
here
brought
forward
,
and
Mauleverer
asked
her
to
define
the
duties
he
had
been
supposed
to
undertake
in
the
character
in
which
he
had
there
figured
.
It
of
course
came
out
that
she
had
been
her
own
treasurer
,
only
entrusting
the
nominal
one
with
the
amount
required
for
current
expenses
,
and
again
,
in
reply
to
his
deferential
questions
,
she
was
obliged
to
acknowledge
that
he
had
never
in
so
many
words
declared
the
sums
entered
in
the
book
to
have
been
actually
paid
,
and
not
merely
estimates
for
monthly
expenditure
to
be
paid
to
the
tradesmen
at
the
usual
seasons
.
“
I
understood
that
they
were
paid
,
”
said
Rachel
,
with
some
resentment
.
“
Will
you
oblige
me
by
mentioning
on
what
that
understanding
was
founded
?
”
said
the
prisoner
,
blandly
.
There
was
a
pause
.
Rachel
knew
she
must
say
something
;
but
memory
utterly
failed
to
recall
any
definite
assurance
that
these
debts
had
been
discharged
.
Time
passed
,
all
eyes
were
upon
her
,
there
was
a
dire
necessity
of
reply
,
and
though
perfectly
conscious
of
the
weakness
and
folly
of
her
utterance
,
she
could
only
falter
forth
,
“
I
thought
so
.
”
The
being
the
Clever
Woman
of
the
family
,
only
rendered
her
the
more
sensible
both
of
the
utter
futility
of
her
answer
,
and
of
the
effect
it
must
be
producing
.
Alison
hung
her
head
,
and
frowned
in
absolute
shame
and
despair
,
already
perceiving
how
matters
must
go
,
and
feeling
as
if
the
hope
of
her
brother’s
vindication
were
slipping
away
—
reft
from
her
by
Rachel’s
folly
.
Colin
gave
an
indignant
sigh
,
and
whispering
to
her
,
“
Come
out
when
Lady
Temple
does
,
I
will
meet
you
,
”
he
made
his
way
out
of
court
.
There
had
been
a
moment’s
pause
after
Rachel’s
“
I
thought
so
,
”
and
then
the
chairman
spoke
to
the
counsel
for
the
prosecution
.
“
Mr.
Murray
,
can
you
carry
the
case
any
further
by
other
witnesses
?
At
present
I
see
no
case
to
go
to
the
jury
.
You
will
see
that
the
witness
not
only
does
not
set
up
any
case
of
embezzlement
,
but
rather
loads
to
an
inference
in
the
contrary
direction
.
”
“
No
,
sir
,
”
was
the
answer
;
“
I
am
afraid
that
I
can
add
nothing
to
the
case
already
presented
to
you
.
”
Upon
this
,
the
chairman
said
,
“
Gentlemen
of
the
Jury
,
—
The
case
for
the
prosecution
does
not
sustain
the
indictment
or
require
me
to
call
on
the
prisoner
for
his
defence
,
and
it
is
your
duty
to
find
him
not
guilty
.
You
will
observe
that
we
are
not
trying
a
civil
action
,
in
respect
of
the
large
sum
which
he
has
received
from
the
young
lady
,
and
for
which
he
is
still
accountable
to
her
;
nor
by
acquitting
him
are
you
pronouncing
that
he
has
not
shown
himself
a
man
of
very
questionable
honesty
,
but
only
that
the
evidence
will
not
bring
him
within
the
grasp
of
the
criminal
law
,
as
guilty
of
embezzlement
under
the
statute
,
and
this
because
of
the
looseness
of
the
arrange
ments
,
that
had
been
implied
instead
of
expressed
.
It
is
exceedingly
to
be
regretted
that
with
the
best
intentions
and
kindest
purposes
,
want
of
caution
and
experience
on
her
part
should
have
enabled
the
prisoner
thus
to
secure
himself
from
the
possibility
of
a
conviction
;
but
there
can
be
no
doubt
that
the
evidence
before
us
is
such
as
to
leave
no
alternative
but
a
verdict
of
not
guilty
.
”
The
very
tenderness
and
consideration
of
the
grey-haired
Sir
Edward
Morden’s
tone
were
more
crushing
to
Rachel
than
severe
animadversions
on
her
folly
would
have
been
from
a
stranger
.
Here
was
she
,
the
Clever
Woman
of
the
family
,
shown
in
open
court
to
have
been
so
egregious
a
dupe
that
the
deceiver
could
not
even
be
punished
,
but
must
go
scot-free
,
leaving
all
her
wrongs
unredressed
!
To
her
excited
,
morbid
apprehension
,
magnified
by
past
self-sufficiency
,
it
was
as
though
all
eyes
were
looking
in
triumph
at
that
object
of
general
scorn
and
aversion
,
a
woman
who
had
stepped
out
of
her
place
.
She
turned
with
a
longing
to
rush
into
darkness
and
retirement
when
she
was
called
to
return
to
her
mother
,
and
even
had
she
still
been
present
,
little
would
she
have
recked
that
when
the
jury
had
,
without
many
moments’
delay
,
returned
a
verdict
of
“
Not
Guilty
,
”
the
prisoner
received
a
strong
,
stem
reprimand
from
Sir
Edward
,
to
whom
he
replied
with
a
bow
that
had
in
it
more
of
triumph
than
of
acceptance
.
Burning
tears
of
disappointment
were
upon
Alison’s
cheek
,
the
old
hopeless
blank
was
returning
,
and
her
brother
might
come
back
in
vain
,
to
find
his
enemy
beyond
his
reach
.
Here
was
an
end
alike
of
his
restoration
and
of
Ermine’s
happiness
!
“
Oh
!
”
whispered
Lady
Temple
,
“
is
it
not
horrid
?
Is
nothing
to
be
done
to
that
dreadful
man
?
I
always
thought
people
came
here
to
do
justice
.
I
shall
never
like
Sir
Edward
Morden
again
!
But
,
oh
!
what
can
that
be
?
Where
is
the
Colonel
?
”
It
was
a
loud
,
frightful
roar
and
yell
,
a
sound
of
concentrated
fury
that
,
once
heard
,
could
never
be
forgotten
.
It
was
from
the
crowd
outside
,
many
of
them
from
Avonmouth
,
and
all
frantic
with
indignation
at
the
cruelty
that
had
been
perpetrated
upon
the
helpless
children
.
Their
groans
and
execrations
were
pursuing
the
prison
van
,
from
which
Maria
Hatherton
was
at
that
moment
making
her
exit
,
and
so
fearful
was
the
outcry
that
penetrated
the
court
,
that
Fanny
trembled
with
recollections
of
Indian
horrors
,
looked
wistfully
for
her
protector
the
Colonel
,
and
murmured
fears
that
her
aunt
must
have
been
very
much
terrified
.
At
that
moment
,
however
,
a
summons
came
for
Lady
Temple
,
as
this
was
the
case
in
which
she
was
to
bear
witness
.
Alison
followed
,
and
was
no
sooner
past
the
spectators
,
who
gladly
made
way
,
than
she
found
her
arm
drawn
into
Colonel
Keith’s
.
“
Is
he
come
?
”
she
asked
.
“
No
,
”
was
rather
signed
than
spoken
.
“
Oh
,
Colin
!
”
she
sighed
,
but
still
there
was
no
reply
,
only
she
was
dragged
on
,
downstairs
and
along
dark
passages
,
into
a
room
furnished
with
a
table
,
chairs
,
pens
,
ink
,
and
paper
,
and
lighted
with
gas
,
which
revealed
to
her
not
only
Mr.
Grey
,
but
one
who
,
though
eight
years
had
made
him
stouter
,
redder
,
and
rougher
,
had
one
of
the
moat
familiar
faces
of
her
youthful
days
.
Her
senses
almost
reeled
with
her
as
he
held
out
his
hand
,
saying
heartily
,
“
Well
,
Ailie
,
how
are
you
?
and
how
is
Ermine
?
Where
can
this
brother
of
yours
be
?
”
“
Harry
!
Mr.
Beauchamp
!
You
here
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
in
the
extremity
of
amazement
.
“
Here
is
Colin
seeming
to
think
that
something
may
be
done
towards
nailing
this
scoundrel
for
the
present
,
so
I
am
come
at
his
call
.
We
shall
have
the
fellow
in
a
moment
.
”
And
then
,
by
way
of
getting
rid
of
embarrassment
,
he
began
talking
to
Mr.
Grey
about
the
County
Hall
,
and
the
room
,
which
Mr.
Grey
explained
to
be
that
of
the
clerk
of
the
peace
,
lent
for
this
occasion
while
the
usual
justice
room
was
occupied
,
Alison
heard
all
as
in
a
dream
,
and
presently
Mauleverer
entered
,
as
usual
spruce
,
artist-like
,
and
self-possessed
,
and
was
accosted
by
Harry
Beauchamp
,
“
Good
evening
,
Mr.
Maddox
