.Non-restraint
implied
a
great
many
attendants
,
and
constant
vigilance
.
Moreover
,
the
doors
were
strong
,
the
windows
opened
only
eight
inches
,
and
that
from
the
top
:
their
framework
was
iron
,
painted
like
wood
,
etc.
It
was
next
to
impossible
to
get
into
the
yard
at
night
:
and
then
it
looked
quite
impossible
to
get
any
further
,
for
the
house
was
encompassed
by
high
walls
.
He
resigned
all
hope
of
escape
without
connivance
.
He
sounded
a
keeper
;
the
man
fired
at
the
first
word
.
“
Come
,
none
of
that
,
sir
;
you
should
know
better
than
tempt
a
poor
man
.
”
Alfred
coloured
to
the
eyes
and
sighed
deeply
.
To
have
honour
thrown
in
his
face
,
and
made
the
reason
for
not
aiding
him
to
baffle
a
dishonourable
conspiracy
!
But
he
took
the
reproof
so
sweetly
,
the
man
was
touched
,
and
by-and-bye
,
seeing
him
deeply
dejected
,
said
good-naturedly
,
“
Do
n't
be
down
on
your
luck
,
sir
.
If
you
are
really
better
,
which
you
do
n't
look
to
have
much
the
matter
now
,
why
not
write
to
the
Commissioners
and
ask
to
be
let
out
?
”
“
Because
my
letters
will
be
intercepted
.
”
“
Ay
,
to
your
friends
;
but
not
to
the
Commissioners
of
Lunacy
.
Not
in
this
house
,
any
way
.
”
“
God
bless
you
!
”
cried
Alfred
impetuously
.
“
You
are
my
benefactor
;
you
are
an
honest
fellow
;
give
me
your
hand
.
”
“
Well
,
why
not
?
Only
you
must
n't
excite
yourself
.
Take
it
easy
.
”
(
Formula
.
)
“
Oh
,
no
cant
among
friends
!
”
said
Alfred
:
“
would
n't
you
be
excited
at
the
hope
of
getting
out
of
prison
?
”
“
Well
,
I
do
n't
know
but
I
might
.
Bound
I
am
as
sick
of
it
as
you
are
.
”
Alfred
got
paper
and
sketched
the
letter
on
which
so
much
depended
.
It
took
him
six
hours
.
He
tore
up
two
;
he
cooled
down
the
third
,
and
condensed
it
severely
:
by
this
means
,
after
much
thought
,
he
produced
a
close
and
telling
composition
.
He
also
weeded
it
of
every
trait
and
every
term
he
had
observed
in
mad
people
's
talk
,
or
the
letters
they
had
shown
him
.
So
there
was
no
incoherency
,
no
heat
,
no
prolixity
,
no
“
spies
,
”
no
“
conspiracy
,
”
no
italics
.
A
simple
,
honest
,
earnest
story
,
with
bitter
truth
stamped
on
every
line
;
a
sober
,
strong
appeal
from
a
sore
heart
but
hard
head
to
the
arbiters
of
his
fate
.
To
the
best
of
my
belief
no
madman
,
however
slightly
touched
,
or
however
cunning
,
ever
wrote
a
letter
so
gentle
yet
strong
,
so
earnest
yet
calm
,
so
short
yet
full
,
and
withal
so
lucid
and
cleanly
jointed
as
this
was
.
And
I
am
no
contemptible
judge
;
for
I
have
accumulated
during
the
last
few
years
a
large
collection
of
letters
from
persons
deranged
in
various
degrees
,
and
studied
them
minutely
,
more
minutely
than
most
Psychologicals
study
anything
but
Pounds
,
Shillings
,
and
Verbiage
.
The
letter
went
,
and
he
hoped
but
scarcely
expected
an
answer
by
return
of
post
.
It
did
not
come
.
He
said
to
his
heart
,
“
Be
still
;
”
and
waited
.
Another
day
went
by
;
and
another
:
he
gnawed
his
heart
and
waited
:
he
pined
,
and
waited
on
.
The
Secret
Tribunal
,
which
was
all
a
shallow
legislature
had
left
him
,
“
took
it
easy
.
”
Secret
Tribunals
always
do
.
But
,
while
the
victim-suitor
longed
and
pined
and
languished
for
one
sound
from
the
voice
of
Justice
and
Humanity
,
and
while
the
Secret
Tribunal
,
not
being
in
prison
itself
all
this
time
,
“
took
it
easy
,
”
events
occurred
at
Barkington
that
bade
fair
to
throw
open
the
prison
doors
and
bring
father
and
son
,
bride
and
bridegroom
,
together
again
under
one
roof
.
But
at
what
a
price
.
CHAPTER
XXXV
AT
sight
of
Sampson
's
placard
Mr.
Hardie
was
seized
with
a
tremor
that
suspended
the
razor
in
mid
air
:
he
opened
the
window
,
and
glared
at
the
doctor
's
notice
.
At
this
moment
he
himself
was
a
picture
:
not
unlike
those
half
cleaned
portraits
the
picture
restorers
hang
out
as
specimens
of
their
art
.
“
Insolent
interfering
fool
,
”
he
muttered
,
and
began
to
walk
the
room
in
agitation
.
After
a
while
he
made
a
strong
effort
,
shaved
the
other
half
,
and
dressed
slowly
,
thinking
hard
all
the
time
.
The
result
was
,
he
went
out
before
breakfast
(
which
he
had
not
done
for
years
)
,
and
visited
Mr.
Baker
—
for
what
purpose
has
been
already
shown
.
On
his
return
,
Jane
was
waiting
breakfast
.
The
first
word
to
him
was
:
“
Papa
,
have
you
seen
?
”
“
What
,
the
Reward
!
”
said
he
indifferently
.
“
Yes
,
I
noticed
it
at
our
door
as
I
came
home
.
”
Jane
said
it
was
a
very
improper
and
most
indelicate
interference
in
their
affairs
,
and
went
on
to
say
with
heightened
colour
:
“
I
have
just
told
Peggy
to
take
it
down
.
“
Not
for
the
world
!
”
cried
Mr.
Hardie
,
losing
all
his
calmness
real
or
feigned
;
and
he
rang
the
bell
hastily
.
On
Peggy
's
appearing
,
he
said
anxiously
,
“
I
do
not
wish
that
Notice
interfered
with
.
”
“
I
should
n't
think
of
touching
it
without
your
order
,
sir
,
”
said
she
quietly
,
and
shot
him
a
feline
glance
from
under
her
pale
lashes
.
Jane
coloured
,
and
looked
a
little
mortified
:
but
on
Peggy
's
retiring
,
Mr.
Hardie
explained
that
,
whether
judicious
or
not
,
it
was
a
friendly
act
of
Dr.
Sampson
's
;
and
to
pull
down
his
notice
would
look
like
siding
with
the
boy
against
those
he
had
injured
:
“
Besides
,
”
said
he
,
“
why
should
you
and
I
burk
inquiry
?
Ill
as
he
has
used
me
,
I
am
his
father
,
and
not
altogether
without
anxiety
.
Suppose
those
doctors
should
be
right
about
him
,
you
know
?
”
Jane
had
for
some
time
been
longing
to
call
at
Albion
Villa
and
sympathise
with
her
friend
;
and
now
curiosity
was
superadded
:
she
burned
to
know
whether
the
Dodds
knew
of
or
approved
this
placard
.
She
asked
her
father
whether
he
thought
she
could
go
there
with
propriety
.
“
Why
not
?
”
said
he
cheerfully
,
and
with
assumed
carelessness
.
In
reality
it
was
essential
to
him
that
Jane
should
visit
the
Dodds
.
Surrounded
by
pitfalls
,
threatened
with
a
new
and
mysterious
assailant
in
the
eccentric
,
but
keen
and
resolute
Sampson
,
this
artful
man
,
who
had
now
become
a
very
Machiavel
—
constant
danger
and
deceit
had
so
sharpened
and
deepened
his
great
natural
abilities
—
was
preparing
amongst
other
defences
a
shield
;
and
that
shield
was
a
sieve
;
and
that
sieve
was
his
daughter
.
In
fact
,
ever
since
his
return
,
he
had
acted
and
spoken
at
the
Dodds
through
Jane
,
but
with
a
masterly
appearance
of
simplicity
and
mere
confidential
intercourse
.
At
least
I
think
this
is
the
true
clue
to
all
his
recent
remarks
.
Jane
,
a
truthful
,
unsuspicious
girl
,
was
all
the
fitter
instrument
of
the
cunning
monster
.
She
went
and
called
at
Albion
Villa
,
and
was
received
by
Edward
,
Mrs.
Dodd
being
upstairs
with
Julia
,
and
in
five
minutes
she
had
told
him
what
her
father
,
she
owned
,
had
said
to
her
in
confidence
.
“
But
,
”
said
she
,
“
the
reason
I
repeat
these
things
is
to
make
peace
,
and
that
you
may
not
fancy
there
is
any
one
in
our
house
so
cruel
,
so
unchristian
,
as
to
approve
Alfred
's
perfidy
.
Oh
,
and
papa
said
candidly
he
disliked
the
match
,
but
then
he
disliked
this
way
of
ending
it
far
more
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
came
down
in
due
course
,
and
kissed
her
;
but
told
her
Julia
could
not
see
even
her
at
present
.
“
I
think
,
dear
,
”
said
she
,
“
in
a
day
or
two
she
will
see
you
;
but
no
one
else
:
and
for
her
sake
we
shall
now
hurry
our
departure
from
this
place
,
where
she
was
once
so
happy
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
did
not
like
to
begin
about
Alfred
;
but
Jane
had
no
such
scruples
;
she
inveighed
warmly
against
his
conduct
,
and
ere
she
left
the
house
,
had
quite
done
away
with
the
faint
suspicion
Sampson
had
engendered
,
and
brought
both
Mrs.
Dodd
and
Edward
back
to
their
original
opinion
that
the
elder
Hardie
had
nothing
on
earth
to
do
with
the
perfidy
of
the
younger
.
Just
before
dinner
a
gentleman
called
on
Edward
,
and
proved
to
be
a
policeman
in
plain
clothes
.
He
had
been
sent
from
the
office
to
sound
the
ostler
at
the
“
White
Lion
,
”
and
,
if
necessary
,
to
threaten
him
.
The
police
knew
,
though
nobody
else
in
Barkington
did
,
that
this
ostler
had
been
in
what
rogues
call
trouble
,
twice
,
and
,
as
the
police
can
starve
a
man
of
the
kind
by
blowing
on
him
,
and
can
reward
him
by
keeping
dark
,
he
knows
better
than
withhold
information
from
them
.
However
,
on
looking
for
this
ostler
,
he
had
left
his
place
that
very
morning
;
had
decamped
with
mysterious
suddenness
.
Here
was
a
puzzle
.
Had
the
man
gone
without
noticing
the
reward
?
Had
somebody
outbid
the
reward
?
Or
was
it
a
strange
coincidence
,
and
did
he
after
all
know
nothing
?
The
police
thought
it
was
no
coincidence
,
and
he
did
know
something
;
so
they
had
telegraphed
to
the
London
office
to
mark
him
down
.
Edward
thanked
his
visitor
;
but
,
on
his
retiring
,
told
his
mother
he
could
make
neither
head
nor
tail
of
it
;
and
she
only
said
,
“
We
seem
surrounded
by
mystery
.
”
Meantime
,
unknown
to
these
bewildered
ones
,
Greek
was
meeting
Greek
only
a
few
yards
off
.
Mr.
Hardie
was
being
undermined
by
a
man
of
his
own
calibre
,
one
too
cautious
to
communicate
with
the
Dodds
,
or
any
one
else
,
till
his
work
looked
ripe
.
The
game
began
thus
:
a
decent
mechanic
,
who
lodged
hard
by
,
lounging
with
his
pipe
near
the
gate
of
Musgrove
Cottage
,
offered
to
converse
with
old
Betty
.
She
gave
him
a
rough
answer
;
but
with
a
touch
of
ineradicable
vanity
must
ask
Peggy
if
she
wanted
a
sweetheart
,
because
there
was
a
hungry
one
at
the
gate
:
“
Why
:
he
wanted
to
begin
on
an
old
woman
like
me
.
”
Peggy
inquired
what
he
had
said
to
her
.
“
Oh
,
he
begun
where
most
of
them
ends
—
if
they
get
so
far
at
all
:
axed
me
was
I
comfortable
here
;
if
not
,
he
knew
a
young
man
wanted
a
nice
tidy
body
to
keep
house
for
him
.
”
Peggy
pricked
up
her
ears
;
and
,
in
less
than
a
quarter
of
an
hour
,
went
for
a
box
of
lucifers
in
a
new
bonnet
and
clean
collar
.
She
tripped
past
the
able
mechanic
very
accidentally
,
and
he
bestowed
an
admiring
smile
on
her
,
but
said
nothing
—
only
smoked
.
However
,
on
her
return
,
he
contrived
to
detain
her
,
and
paid
her
a
good
many
compliments
,
which
she
took
laughingly
and
with
no
great
appearance
of
believing
them
.
However
,
there
is
no
going
by
that
:
compliments
sink
:
and
within
forty-eight
hours
the
able
mechanic
had
become
a
hot
wooer
of
Peggy
Black
,
always
on
the
look-out
for
her
day
and
night
,
and
telling
her
all
about
the
lump
of
money
he
had
saved
,
and
how
he
could
double
his
income
,
if
he
had
but
a
counter
,
and
tidy
wife
behind
it
.
Peggy
gossiped
in
turn
,
and
let
out
amongst
the
rest
that
she
had
been
turned
off
once
,
just
for
answering
a
little
sharply
;
and
now
it
was
the
other
way
;
her
master
was
a
trifle
too
civil
at
times
.
“
Who
could
help
it
?
”
said
the
able
mechanic
rapturously
;
and
offered
a
pressing
civility
,
which
Peggy
fought
off
.
“
Not
so
free
,
young
man
,
”
said
she
.
“
Kissing
is
the
prologue
to
sin
.
”
“
How
do
you
know
that
?
”
inquired
the
able
mechanic
,
with
the
sly
humour
of
his
class
.
“
It
is
a
saying
,
”
replied
Peggy
demurely
.
At
last
,
one
night
,
Mr.
Green
the
detective
,
for
he
it
was
,
put
his
arm
round
his
new
sweetheart
's
waist
,
and
approached
the
subject
nearest
his
heart
.
He
told
her
he
had
just
found
out
there
was
money
enough
to
be
made
in
one
day
to
set
them
up
for
life
in
a
nice
little
shop
;
and
she
could
help
in
it
.
After
this
inviting
preamble
,
he
crept
towards
the
14
,
000l
.
by
artful
questions
;
and
soon
elicited
that
there
had
been
high
words
between
Master
and
Mr.
Alfred
about
that
very
sum
:
she
had
listened
at
the
door
and
heard
.
Taking
care
to
combine
close
courtship
with
cunning
interrogatories
,
he
was
soon
enabled
to
write
to
Dr.
Sampson
,
and
say
that
a
servant
of
Mr.
Hardie
's
was
down
on
him
,
and
reported
that
he
carried
a
large
pocket-book
in
his
breast-pocket
by
day
;
and
she
had
found
the
dent
of
it
under
his
pillow
at
night
—
a
stroke
of
observation
very
creditable
in
an
unprofessional
female
:
on
this
he
had
made
it
his
business
to
meet
Mr.
Hardie
in
broad
day
,
and
sure
enough
the
pocket-book
was
always
there
.
He
added
,
that
the
said
Hardie
's
face
wore
an
expression
which
he
had
seen
more
than
once
when
respectable
parties
went
in
for
felony
:
and
altogether
thought
they
might
now
take
out
a
warrant
and
proceed
in
the
regular
way
.
Sampson
received
this
news
with
great
satisfaction
:
but
was
crippled
by
the
interwoven
relations
of
the
parties
.
To
arrest
Mr.
Hardie
on
a
warrant
would
entail
a
prosecution
for
felony
,
and
separate
Jane
and
Edward
for
ever
.
He
telegraphed
Green
to
meet
him
at
the
station
;
and
reached
Barkington
at
eight
that
very
evening
.
Green
and
he
proceeded
to
Albion
Villa
,
and
there
they
held
a
long
and
earnest
consultation
with
Edward
;
and
at
last
,
on
certain
conditions
,
Mr.
Green
and
Edward
consented
to
act
on
Sampson
's
plan
.
Green
,
by
this
time
,
knew
all
Mr.
Hardie
's
out-of-door
habits
;
and
assured
them
that
at
ten
o'clock
he
would
walk
up
and
down
the
road
for
at
least
half
an
hour
,
the
night
being
dry
.
It
wanted
about
a
quarter
to
ten
,
when
Mrs.
Dodd
came
down
,
and
proposed
supper
to
the
travellers
.
Sampson
declined
it
for
the
present
;
and
said
they
had
work
to
do
at
eleven
.
Then
,
making
the
others
a
signal
not
to
disclose
anything
at
present
he
drew
her
aside
and
asked
after
Julia
.
Mrs.
Dodd
sighed
—
“
She
goes
from
one
thing
to
another
,
but
always
returns
to
one
idea
;
that
he
is
a
victim
,
not
a
traitor
.
”
“
Well
,
tell
her
in
one
hour
the
money
shall
be
in
the
house
.
”
“
The
money
!
What
does
she
care
?
”
“
Well
,
say
we
shall
know
all
about
Alfred
by
eleven
o'clock
.
”
“
My
dear
friend
,
be
prudent
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
.
“
I
feel
alarmed
:
you
were
speaking
almost
in
a
whisper
when
I
came
in
.
”
“
Y
'
are
very
obsairvant
:
but
dawnt
be
uneasy
;
we
are
three
to
one
.
Just
go
and
comfort
Miss
Julee
with
my
message
.
”
“
Ah
,
that
I
will
,
”
she
said
.
She
was
no
sooner
gone
than
they
all
stole
out
into
the
night
,
and
a
pitch
dark
night
it
was
;
but
Green
had
a
powerful
dark
lantern
to
use
if
necessary
.
They
waited
,
Green
at
the
gate
of
Musgrove
Cottage
,
the
other
two
a
little
way
up
the
road
.
Ten
o'clock
struck
.
Some
minutes
passed
without
the
expected
signal
from
Green
;
and
Edward
and
Sampson
began
to
shiver
.
For
it
was
very
cold
and
dark
,
and
in
the
next
place
they
were
honest
men
going
to
take
the
law
into
their
own
hands
and
the
law
sometimes
calls
that
breaking
the
law
.
“
Confound
him
!
”
muttered
Sampson
;
“
if
he
does
not
soon
come
I
shall
run
away
.
It
is
bitterly
cold
.
”
Presently
footsteps
were
heard
approaching
;
but
no
signal
:
it
proved
to
be
only
a
fellow
in
a
smock-frock
rolling
home
from
the
public-house
.
Just
as
his
footsteps
died
away
a
low
hoot
like
a
plaintive
owl
was
heard
,
and
they
knew
their
game
was
afoot
.
Presently
,
tramp
,
tramp
,
came
the
slow
and
stately
march
of
him
they
had
hunted
down
.
He
came
very
slowly
,
like
one
lost
in
meditation
:
and
these
amateur
policemen
's
hearts
beat
louder
and
louder
,
as
he
drew
nearer
and
nearer
.
At
last
in
the
blackness
of
the
night
a
shadowy
outline
was
visible
;
another
tramp
or
two
,
it
was
upon
them
.
Now
the
cautious
Mr.
Green
had
stipulated
that
the
pocketbook
should
first
be
felt
for
,
and
,
if
not
there
,
the
matter
should
go
no
farther
.
So
Edward
made
a
stumble
and
fell
against
Mr.
Hardie
and
felt
his
left
breast
:
the
pocket-book
was
there
:
—
“
Yes
,
”
he
whispered
:
and
Mr.
Hardie
,
in
the
act
of
remonstrating
at
his
clumsiness
,
was
pinned
behind
,
and
his
arms
strapped
with
wonderful
rapidity
and
dexterity
.
Then
first
he
seemed
to
awake
to
his
hunger
,
and
uttered
a
stentorian
cry
of
terror
,
that
rang
through
the
night
and
made
two
of
his
three
captors
tremble
.
“
Cut
that
”
said
Green
sternly
,
“
or
you
'll
get
into
trouble
.
”
Mr.
Hardie
lowered
his
voice
directly
:
“
Do
not
kill
me
,
do
not
hurt
me
,
”
he
murmured
;
“
I
am
but
a
poor
man
now
.
Take
my
little
money
;
it
is
in
my
waistcoat
pocket
;
but
spare
my
life
.
You
see
I
do
n't
resist
.
”
“
Come
,
stash
your
gab
,
my
lad
,
”
said
Green
contemptuously
,
addressing
him
just
as
he
would
any
other
of
the
birds
he
was
accustomed
to
capture
.
“
It
's
not
your
stiff
that
is
wanted
,
but
Captain
Dodd
's
.
”
“
Captain
Dodd
's
?
”
cried
the
prisoner
with
a
wonderful
assumption
of
innocence
.
“
Ay
,
the
pocket-book
,
”
said
Green
;
“
here
,
this
!
this
!
”
He
tapped
on
the
pocket-book
,
and
instantly
the
prisoner
uttered
a
cry
of
agony
,
and
sprang
into
the
road
with
an
agility
no
one
would
have
thought
possible
but
Edward
and
Green
soon
caught
him
,
and
,
the
Doctor
joining
,
they
held
him
,
and
Green
tore
his
coat
open
.
The
pocket-book
was
not
there
.
He
tore
open
his
waistcoat
;
it
was
not
in
the
waistcoat
:
but
it
was
sewed
to
his
very
shirt
on
the
outside
.
Green
wrenched
it
away
,
and
bidding
the
other
two
go
behind
the
prisoner
and
look
over
his
shoulder
,
unseen
themselves
,
slipped
the
shade
of
his
lantern
.
Mr.
Hardie
had
now
ceased
to
struggle
and
to
exclaim
;
he
stood
sullen
,
mute
,
desperate
;
while
an
agitated
face
peered
eagerly
over
each
of
his
shoulders
at
the
open
pocket-book
in
Green
's
hands
,
on
which
the
lantern
now
poured
a
narrow
but
vivid
stream
of
light
.
CHAPTER
XXXVI
THERE
was
not
a
moment
to
lose
,
so
Green
emptied
the
pocketbook
into
his
hat
,
and
sifted
the
contents
in
a
turn
of
the
hand
,
announcing
each
discovery
in
a
whisper
to
his
excited
and
peering
associates
.
“
A
lot
of
receipts
.
”
“
Of
no
use
to
any
one
but
me
,
”
said
the
prisoner
earnestly
.
“
Two
miniatures
;
gold
rims
,
pinchbeck
backs
.
”
“
They
are
portraits
of
my
children
when
young
:
Heaven
forgive
me
,
I
could
not
give
them
up
to
my
creditors
:
surely
,
surely
,
you
will
not
rob
me
of
them
.
”
“
Stash
your
gab
,
”
said
Mr.
Green
roughly
.
“
Here
's
a
guinea
,
Queen
Anne
's
reign
.
”
“
It
belonged
to
my
great-grandfather
:
take
it
,
but
you
will
let
me
redeem
it
;
I
will
give
5l
.
for
it
poor
as
I
am
:
you
can
leave
it
on
my
door-step
,
and
I
'll
leave
the
5l
.
.
”
“
Stow
your
gab
.
Letters
;
papers
covered
with
figures
.
Stay
,
what
is
this
?
a
lot
of
memoranda
.
”
“
They
are
of
the
most
private
and
delicate
character
.
Pray
do
not
expose
my
family
misfortunes
.
”
And
Mr.
Hardie
,
who
of
late
had
been
gathering
composure
,
showed
some
signs
of
agitation
;
the
two
figures
glaring
over
his
shoulder
shared
it
,
and
his
remonstrance
only
made
Green
examine
the
papers
keenly
:
they
might
contain
some
clue
to
the
missing
money
.
It
proved
a
miscellaneous
record
:
the
price
of
Stocks
at
various
days
;
notes
of
the
official
assignee
's
remarks
in
going
over
the
books
,
etc.
At
last
,
however
,
Green
's
quick
eye
fell
upon
a
fainter
entry
in
pencil
;
figures
:
1
,
4
;
yes
,
actually
14
,
000l
.
.
“
All
right
,
”
he
said
:
and
took
the
paper
close
to
the
lantern
,
and
began
to
spell
it
out
—
“
'
This
day
Alfred
told
me
to
my
face
I
had
14
,
000l
.
of
Captain
Dodd
's
.
We
had
an
angry
discussion
.
What
can
he
mean
?
Drs.
Wycherley
and
Osmond
,
this
same
day
,
afflicted
me
with
hints
that
he
is
deranged
,
or
partly
.
I
saw
no
signs
of
it
before
.
Wrote
to
my
brother
entreating
him
to
give
me
200l
.
to
replace
the
sum
which
I
really
have
wronged
this
respectable
and
now
most
afflicted
family
of
.
I
had
better
withdraw
—
—
'
”
Here
Mr.
Hardie
interrupted
him
with
sorrowful
dignity
:
“
These
are
mere
family
matters
;
if
you
are
a
man
,
respect
them
.
”
Green
went
reading
on
like
Fate
:
“
'
Better
withdraw
my
opposition
to
the
marriage
,
or
else
it
seems
my
own
flesh
and
blood
will
go
about
the
place
blackening
my
reputation
.
'
”
Mr.
Hardie
stamped
on
the
ground
.
“
I
tell
you
,
on
my
honour
as
a
gentleman
,
there
's
no
money
there
but
my
grandfather
's
guinea
.
My
money
is
all
in
my
waistcoat
pocket
,
where
you
will
not
look
.
”
A
flutter
of
uneasiness
seemed
to
come
over
the
detective
:
he
darkened
his
lantern
,
and
replaced
the
pocket-book
hurriedly
in
the
prisoner
's
breast
,
felt
him
all
over
in
a
minute
,
and
to
keep
up
the
farce
,
robbed
him
.
“
Only
eight
yellow
boys
,
”
said
he
contemptuously
to
his
mates
.
He
then
shipped
the
money
back
into
Hardie
's
coat-pocket
,
and
conducted
him
to
his
own
gate
,
tied
him
to
it
by
the
waist
,
and
ordered
him
not
to
give
the
alarm
for
ten
minutes
on
pain
of
death
.
“
I
consent
,
”
said
Mr.
Hardie
,
“
and
thank
you
for
abstaining
from
violence
.
”
“
All
right
,
my
tulip
,
”
said
Mr.
Green
cheerfully
,
and
drew
his
companions
quietly
away
.
But
the
next
moment
he
began
to
run
,
and
making
a
sudden
turn
,
dived
into
a
street
then
into
a
passage
,
and
so
winded
and
doubled
till
he
got
to
a
small
public-house
:
he
used
some
flash
word
,
and
they
were
shown
a
private
room
.
“
Wait
here
an
hour
for
me
,
”
he
whispered
;
“
I
must
see
who
liberates
him
,
and
whether
he
is
really
as
innocent
as
he
reads
,
or
we
have
been
countermined
by
the
devil
's
own
tutor
.
”
The
unexpected
turn
the
evidence
had
taken
—
evidence
of
their
own
choosing
,
too
—
cleared
Mr.
Hardie
with
the
unprofessionals
.
Edward
embraced
this
conclusion
as
a
matter
of
course
,
and
urged
the
character
of
that
gentleman
's
solitary
traducer
:
Alfred
was
a
traitor
,
and
therefore
why
not
a
slanderer
?
Even
Sampson
,
on
the
whole
,
inclined
to
a
similar
conclusion
.
At
this
crisis
of
the
discussion
a
red-haired
pedlar
,
with
very
large
whiskers
and
the
remains
of
a
black
eye
,
put
his
head
in
,
and
asked
whether
Tom
Green
was
there
.
“
No
,
”
said
the
Doctor
stoutly
,
not
desiring
company
of
this
stamp
.
“
Do
n't
know
the
lad
.
”
The
pedlar
laughed
:
“
There
is
not
many
that
do
know
him
at
all
hours
;
however
,
he
is
here
,
sir
.
”
And
he
whipped
off
the
red
hair
,
and
wiped
off
the
black
eye
,
and
ho
,
Green
ipse
.
He
received
their
compliments
on
his
Protean
powers
,
and
told
them
he
had
been
just
a
minute
too
late
.
Mr.
Hardie
was
gone
,
and
so
he
had
lost
the
chance
of
seeing
who
came
to
help
him
,
and
of
hearing
the
first
words
that
passed
between
the
two
.
This
,
he
said
,
was
a
very
great
pity
;
for
it
would
have
shown
him
in
one
moment
whether
certain
suspicions
of
his
were
correct
.
Pressed
as
to
what
these
suspicions
were
,
he
begged
to
be
excused
saying
any
more
for
the
present
.
The
Doctor
,
however
,
would
not
let
him
off
so
,
but
insisted
on
his
candid
opinion
.
“
Well
,
sir
,
”
said
Green
,
“
I
never
was
more
puzzled
in
my
life
,
owing
to
not
being
near
hand
when
he
was
untied
.
It
looks
all
square
,
however
.
There
's
one
little
thing
that
do
n't
fit
somehow
.
”
They
both
asked
in
a
breath
what
that
was
.
“
The
sovs
.
were
all
marked
.
”
They
asked
how
he
knew
;
and
had
he
got
them
in
his
pocket
to
show
?
Green
uttered
a
low
chuckling
laugh
:
“
What
,
me
fake
the
beans
,
now
I
live
on
this
side
of
the
hedge
?
Never
knew
a
cove
mix
his
liquors
that
way
but
it
hurt
his
health
soon
or
late
.
No
,
I
took
them
out
of
one
pocket
and
felt
of
them
as
I
slipped
them
into
the
other
.
Ye
see
,
gents
,
to
do
any
good
on
my
lay
,
a
man
must
train
his
senses
as
well
as
his
mind
:
he
must
have
a
hare
's
ear
,
and
a
hawk
's
eye
,
a
bloodhound
's
nose
,
and
a
lady
's
hand
with
steel
fingers
and
a
silk
skin
.
Now
look
at
that
bunch
of
fives
,
”
continued
the
master
;
and
laid
a
hand
white
and
soft
as
a
duchess
's
on
the
table
:
“
it
can
put
the
bracelets
on
a
giant
,
or
find
a
sharper
's
nail-mark
on
the
back
of
the
knave
of
clubs
.
The
beans
were
marked
.
Which
it
is
a
small
thing
,
but
it
do
n't
fit
the
rest
.
Here
's
an
unsuspicious
gent
took
by
surprise
,
in
moonlight
meditation
fancy
free
,
and
all
his
little
private
family
matters
found
in
his
innocent
bosom
,
quite
promiscuous
;
but
his
beans
marked
.
That
do
n't
dovetail
nohow
.
Gents
,
did
ever
you
hear
of
the
man
that
went
to
the
bottom
of
the
bottomless
pit
to
ease
his
mind
?
Well
,
he
was
the
head
of
my
family
.
I
must
go
to
the
bottom
whether
there
's
one
or
not
.
And
just
now
I
see
but
one
way
.
”
“
And
what
is
that
?
”
inquired
both
his
companions
in
some
alarm
.
“
Oh
,
I
must
n't
threaten
it
,
”
said
Green
,
“
or
I
shall
never
have
the
stomach
to
do
it
.
But
dear
me
,
this
boozing
ken
is
a
very
unfit
place
for
you
,
—
you
are
champagne-gents
,
not
dog
's
nose
ones
.
Now
you
part
and
make
tracks
for
home
,
one
on
foot
and
one
in
a
fly
.
You
wo
n't
see
me
,
nor
hear
of
me
again
,
till
I
've
something
fresh
.
”
And
so
the
confederates
parted
,
and
Sampson
and
Edward
met
at
Albion
Villa
;
and
Edward
told
his
mother
what
they
had
done
,
and
his
conviction
that
Mr.
Hardie
was
innocent
,
and
Alfred
a
slanderer
as
well
as
a
traitor
:
“
And
indeed
,
”
said
he
,
“
if
we
had
but
stopped
to
reflect
,
we
should
have
seen
how
unlikely
the
money
was
not
to
be
lost
in
the
Agra
.
Why
,
the
'
Tiser
says
she
went
to
pieces
almost
directly
she
struck
.
What
we
ought
to
have
done
was
,
not
to
listen
to
Alfred
Hardie
like
fools
,
but
write
to
Lloyd
's
like
people
in
their
senses
.
I
'll
do
it
this
minute
,
and
find
out
the
surviving
officers
of
the
ship
:
they
will
be
able
to
give
us
information
on
that
head
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
approved
;
and
said
she
would
write
to
her
kind
correspondent
Mrs.
Beresford
,
and
she
did
sit
down
to
her
desk
at
once
.
As
for
Sampson
,
he
returned
to
town
next
morning
,
not
quite
convinced
,
but
thoroughly
staggered
;
and
determined
for
once
to
resign
his
own
judgment
,
and
abide
the
result
of
Mrs.
Dodd
's
correspondence
and
Mr.
Green
's
sagacity
.
All
he
insisted
on
was
,
that
his
placard
about
Alfred
should
be
continued
:
he
left
money
for
this
,
and
Edward
,
against
the
grain
,
consented
to
see
it
done
.
But
placards
are
no
monopoly
:
in
the
afternoon
only
a
section
of
Sampson
's
was
visible
in
most
parts
of
the
town
by
reason
of
a
poster
to
this
effect
pasted
half
over
it
:
—
“
FIFTY
GUINEAS
REWARD
.
“
Whereas
,
yesterday
evening
at
ten
o'clock
Richard
Hardie
,
Esq.
,
of
Musgrove
Cottage
,
Barkington
,
was
assaulted
at
his
own
door
by
three
ruffians
,
who
rifled
his
pockets
,
and
read
his
private
memoranda
,
and
committed
other
acts
of
violence
,
the
shock
of
which
has
laid
him
on
a
bed
of
sickness
,
the
above
reward
shall
be
paid
to
any
person
,
or
persons
,
who
will
give
such
information
as
shall
lead
to
the
detection
of
all
or
any
one
of
the
miscreants
concerned
in
this
outrage
.
“
The
above
reward
will
be
paid
by
Mr.
Thomas
Hardie
of
Clare
Court
,
Yorkshire
.
”
On
this
the
impartial
police
came
to
Mr.
Hardie
's
and
made
inquiries
.
He
received
them
in
bed
,
and
told
them
particulars
:
and
they
gathered
from
Peggy
that
she
had
heard
a
cry
of
distress
,
and
opened
the
kitchen
door
,
and
that
Betty
and
she
had
ventured
out
together
,
and
found
poor
master
tied
to
the
gate
with
an
old
cord
:
this
she
produced
,
and
the
police
inspected
and
took
it
away
with
them
.
At
sight
of
that
Notice
,
Edward
felt
cold
and
then
hot
and
realised
the
false
and
perilous
position
into
which
he
had
been
betrayed
:
“
So
much
for
being
wiser
than
the
law
,
”
he
said
:
“
what
are
we
now
but
three
footpads
?
”
This
,
and
the
insult
his
sister
had
received
made
the
place
poison
to
him
;
and
hastened
their
departure
by
a
day
or
two
.
The
very
next
day
(
Thursday
)
an
affiche
on
the
walls
of
Albion
Villa
announced
that
Mr.
Chippenham
,
auctioneer
,
would
sell
,
next
Wednesday
,
on
the
premises
,
the
greater
part
of
the
furniture
,
plate
,
china
,
glass
,
Oriental
inlaid
boxes
and
screens
,
with
several
superb
India
shawls
,
scarfs
,
and
dresses
;
also
a
twenty-one
years
'
lease
of
the
villa
,
seventeen
to
run
.
Edward
took
unfurnished
apartments
in
London
,
near
Russell
Square
:
a
locality
in
which
,
as
he
learned
from
the
'
Tiser
,
the
rooms
were
large
and
cheap
.
He
packed
just
so
much
furniture
as
was
essential
;
no
knick-knacks
.
It
was
to
go
by
rail
on
Monday
;
Mrs.
Dodd
and
Julia
were
to
follow
on
Tuesday
:
Edward
to
stay
at
Barkington
and
look
after
the
sale
.
Meantime
their
secret
ally
,
Mr.
Green
,
was
preparing
his
threatened
coup
.
The
more
he
reflected
the
more
he
suspected
that
he
had
been
outwitted
by
Peggy
Black
.
She
had
led
him
on
,
and
the
pocket-book
had
been
planted
for
him
.
If
so
,
why
Peggy
was
a
genius
,
and
in
his
own
line
;
and
he
would
marry
her
,
and
so
kill
two
birds
with
one
stone
:
make
a
Detective
of
her
(
there
was
a
sad
lack
of
female
detectives
)
;
and
,
once
his
wife
,
she
would
split
on
her
master
,
and
he
should
defeat
that
old
soldier
at
last
,
and
get
a
handsome
slice
of
the
14
,
000l
.
.
He
manoeuvred
thus
:
first
,
he
went
back
to
London
for
a
day
or
two
to
do
other
jobs
,
and
to
let
this
matter
cool
;
then
he
returned
,
and
wrote
from
a
town
near
Barkington
to
Peggy
Black
,
telling
her
he
had
been
sent
away
suddenly
on
a
job
,
but
his
heart
had
remained
behind
with
his
Peggy
:
would
she
meet
him
at
the
gate
at
nine
that
evening
?
he
had
something
very
particular
to
say
to
her
.
As
to
the
nature
of
the
business
,
the
enclosed
would
give
her
a
hint
.
She
might
name
her
own
day
,
and
the
sooner
the
better
.
The
enclosed
was
a
wedding-ring
.
At
nine
this
extraordinary
pair
of
lovers
met
at
the
gate
;
but
Peggy
seemed
hardly
at
her
ease
;
said
her
master
would
be
coming
out
and
catching
her
;
perhaps
they
had
better
walk
up
the
road
a
bit
.
“
With
all
my
heart
,
”
said
Green
;
but
he
could
not
help
a
little
sneer
:
“
Your
master
?
”
said
he
:
“
why
he
is
your
servant
,
as
I
am
.
What
,
is
he
jealous
?
”
“
I
do
n't
know
what
you
mean
,
young
man
,
”
said
Peggy
.
“
I
'll
tell
you
when
we
are
married
.
”
“
La
,
that
is
a
long
time
to
wait
for
my
answer
:
why
we
ai
n't
asked
in
church
yet
.
”
“
There
's
no
need
of
that
;
I
can
afford
a
special
licence
.
”
“
Lawk
a
daisy
:
why
you
be
a
gentleman
,
then
.
”
“
No
,
but
I
can
keep
my
wife
like
a
lady
.
”
“
You
sounds
very
tempting
,
”
murmured
Peggy
,
throwing
her
skirt
over
her
head
—
for
a
drizzle
was
beginning
—
and
walking
slower
and
slower
.
Then
he
made
hot
love
to
her
,
and
pressed
her
hard
to
name
the
day
.
She
coquetted
with
the
question
till
they
came
near
the
mouth
of
a
dark
lane
,
called
Lovers
'
Walk
;
then
,
as
he
insisted
on
an
answer
,
she
hung
her
head
bashfully
,
and
coughed
a
little
cough
.
At
which
preconcerted
signal
a
huge
policeman
sprang
out
of
the
lane
and
collared
Mr.
Green
.
On
this
Peggy
,
who
was
all
Lie
from
head
to
heel
,
uttered
a
little
scream
of
dismay
and
surprise
.
Mr.
Green
laughed
.
“
Well
,
you
are
a
downy
one
,
”
said
he
.
“
I
'll
marry
you
all
the
more
for
thus
.
”
The
detective
put
his
hands
suddenly
inside
the
policeman
's
,
caught
him
by
the
bosom
with
his
right
hand
by
way
of
fulcrum
;
and
with
his
left
by
the
chin
,
which
he
forced
violently
back
,
and
gave
him
a
slight
Cornish
trip
at
the
same
moment
;
down
went
the
policeman
on
the
back
of
his
head
a
fearful
crack
.
Green
then
caught
the
astonished
Peggy
round
the
neck
,
kissed
her
lips
violently
,
and
fled
like
the
wind
;
removed
all
traces
of
his
personal
identity
,
and
up
to
London
by
the
train
in
the
character
of
a
young
swell
,
with
a
self-fitting
eyeglass
and
a
long
moustache
the
colour
of
his
tender
mistress
's
eyebrow
:
tow
.
From
town
he
wrote
to
her
,
made
her
a
formal
offer
of
marriage
;
and
gave
her
an
address
to
write
to
“
should
she
at
any
time
think
more
kindly
of
him
and
of
his
sincere
affection
.
”
I
suppose
he
specified
sincere
because
it
was
no
longer
sincere
:
he
hurled
the
offer
into
Musgrove
Cottage
by
way
of
an
apple
of
discord
—
at
least
so
I
infer
from
the
memorandum
,
with
which
he
retired
at
present
from
the
cash
hunt
.
“
Mr.
Hardie
has
the
stiff
,
I
think
:
but
,
if
so
,
it
is
planted
somewhere
—
does
n't
carry
it
about
him
;
my
Peggy
is
his
mistress
:
nothing
to
be
done
till
they
split
.
”
Victorious
so
far
,
Mr.
Hardie
had
still
one
pressing
anxiety
:
Dr.
Sampson
's
placard
:
this
had
been
renewed
,
and
stared
him
everywhere
in
the
face
.
Every
copy
of
it
he
encountered
made
him
shiver
.
If
he
had
been
a
man
of
impulse
,
he
would
have
torn
it
down
wherever
he
saw
it
;
but
he
knew
that
would
not
do
.
However
,
learning
from
Jane
,
who
had
it
from
old
Betty
,
who
had
it
from
Sarah
,
that
Mrs.
and
Miss
Dodd
would
leave
for
London
the
day
before
the
sale
,
and
Edward
the
day
after
it
,
he
thought
he
might
venture
in
the
busy
intermediate
time
to
take
some
liberties
with
it
.
This
he
did
with
excellent
tact
and
judgment
.
Peggy
and
a
billsticker
were
seen
in
conference
,
and
,
soon
after
,
the
huge
bills
of
a
travelling
circus
were
pasted
right
over
both
the
rival
advertisements
in
which
the
name
of
Hardie
figured
.
The
consequence
was
,
Edward
raised
no
objection
:
he
was
full
of
the
sale
for
one
thing
;
but
I
suspect
he
was
content
to
see
his
own
false
move
pasted
over
on
such
easy
terms
.
One
morning
Peggy
brought
in
the
letters
,
and
Jane
saw
one
in
Alfred
's
handwriting
.
She
snatched
it
up
,
and
cried
“
Papa
,
from
Alfred
!
”
And
she
left
off
making
the
tea
,
while
her
father
opened
it
with
comparative
composure
.
This
coolness
,
however
,
did
not
outlast
the
perusal
:
“
The
young
ruffian
!
”
said
he
;
“
would
you
believe
it
Jenny
,
he
accuses
me
of
being
the
cause
of
his
last
business
.
”
“
Let
me
see
,
papa
.
”
He
held
her
out
the
letter
;
but
hesitated
and
drew
it
back
.
“
My
dear
,
it
would
give
you
pain
to
see
your
poor
father
treated
so
.
Here
's
a
specimen
:
'
What
could
they
expect
but
that
the
son
of
a
sharper
would
prove
a
traitor
?
You
stole
her
money
;
I
her
affections
,
of
which
I
am
unworthy
.
'
Now
what
do
you
think
of
that
?
”
“
Unhappy
Alfred
!
”
said
Jane
.
“
No
,
papa
,
I
would
not
read
it
,
if
you
are
insulted
in
it
.
But
where
is
he
?
”
“
The
letter
is
dated
Paris
.
See
!
”
And
he
showed
her
the
date
.
“
But
he
says
here
he
is
coming
back
to
London
directly
;
and
he
orders
me
in
the
most
peremptory
way
to
be
ready
with
my
accounts
,
and
pay
him
over
his
fortune
.
Well
,
he
is
alive
,
at
all
events
:
really
my
good
,
kind
,
interfering
,
pragmatical
friend
Sampson
,
with
his
placards
,
made
me
feel
uneasy
,
more
uneasy
than
I
would
own
to
you
,
Jenny
.
”
“
Unhappy
Alfred
!
”
cried
Jane
,
with
the
tears
in
her
eyes
;
“
and
poor
papa
!
”
“
Oh
,
never
mind
me
,
”
said
Mr.
Hardie
;
“
now
that
I
know
no
harm
has
come
to
him
,
I
really
do
n't
care
a
straw
:
I
have
got
one
child
that
loves
me
,
and
that
I
love
.
”
“
Ah
yes
,
dear
,
dear
papa
,
and
that
will
always
love
you
,
and
never
,
never
disobey
you
in
small
things
or
great
.
”
She
rose
from
the
table
and
sealed
this
with
a
pious
kiss
;
and
,
when
she
sat
down
with
a
pink
flush
on
her
delicate
cheek
,
his
hard
eye
melted
and
dwelt
on
her
with
beaming
tenderness
.
His
heart
yearned
over
her
,
and
a
pang
went
through
it
:
to
think
that
he
must
deceive
even
her
,
the
one
sweet
soul
that
loved
him
!
It
was
a
passing
remorse
:
the
successful
plotter
soon
predominated
,
and
it
was
with
unmixed
satisfaction
he
saw
her
put
on
her
bonnet
directly
after
breakfast
and
hurry
off
to
Albion
Villa
to
play
the
part
of
his
unconscious
sieve
.
He
himself
strolled
in
the
opposite
direction
,
not
to
seem
to
be
watching
her
.
He
was
in
good
spirits
:
felt
like
a
general
,
who
,
after
repulsing
many
desperate
attacks
successfully
,
orders
an
advance
,
and
sees
the
tide
of
battle
roll
away
from
his
bayonets
.
His
very
body
seemed
elastic
,
indomitable
;
he
walked
lustily
out
into
the
country
,
sniffed
the
perfumed
hedges
,
and
relished
life
.
To
be
sure
he
could
not
walk
away
from
all
traces
of
his
misdeeds
;
he
fell
in
with
objects
that
to
an
ordinary
sinner
might
have
spoiled
the
walk
,
and
even
marred
the
spring-time
.
He
found
his
creditor
Maxley
with
grizzly
beard
and
bloodshot
eyes
,
belabouring
a
milestone
;
and
two
small
boys
quizzing
him
,
and
pelting
him
with
mud
:
and
soon
after
he
met
his
creditor
,
old
Dr.
Phillips
,
in
a
cart
,
coming
back
to
Barkington
to
end
his
days
there
,
at
the
almshouse
.
But
to
our
triumphant
Bankrupt
and
Machiavel
these
things
were
literally
nothing
:
he
paced
complacently
on
,
and
cared
no
more
for
either
of
those
his
wrecks
than
the
smiling
sea
itself
seems
to
care
for
the
dead
ships
and
men
it
washed
ashore
a
week
ago
.
He
came
home
before
luncheon
for
his
gossip
with
Jane
;
but
she
had
not
returned
.
All
the
better
;
her
budget
would
be
the
larger
.
To
while
the
time
he
got
his
file
of
the
Times
,
and
amused
himself
noting
down
the
fluctuations
in
Peruvian
bonds
.
While
thus
employed
he
heard
a
loud
knock
at
his
door
,
and
soon
after
Peggy
's
voice
and
a
man
's
in
swift
collision
.
Hasty
feet
came
along
the
passage
,
the
parlour
door
opened
,
and
a
young
man
rushed
in
pale
as
ashes
,
and
stared
at
him
;
he
was
breathless
,
and
his
lips
moved
,
but
no
sound
came
.
It
was
Edward
Dodd
.
Mr.
Hardie
rose
like
a
tower
and
manned
himself
to
repulse
this
fresh
assault
.
The
strange
visitor
gasped
out
,
“
You
are
wanted
at
our
house
.
”
CHAPTER
XXXVII
JANE
HARDIE
had
found
Albion
Villa
in
the
miserable
state
that
precedes
an
auction
:
the
house
raw
,
its
contents
higgledy-piggledy
.
The
stair
carpets
,
and
drawing-room
carpets
,
were
up
,
and
in
rolls
in
the
dining-room
;
the
bulk
of
the
furniture
was
there
too
;
the
auction
was
to
be
in
that
room
.
The
hall
was
clogged
with
great
packages
,
and
littered
with
small
,
all
awaiting
the
railway
carts
;
and
Edward
,
dusty
and
deliquescent
,
was
cording
,
strapping
,
and
nailing
them
at
the
gallop
,
in
his
shirt
sleeves
.
Jane
's
heart
sank
at
the
visible
signs
of
his
departure
.
She
sighed
;
and
then
,
partly
to
divert
his
attention
,
told
him
hastily
there
was
a
letter
from
Alfred
.
On
this
he
ran
upstairs
and
told
Mrs.
Dodd
;
and
she
came
downstairs
,
and
after
a
conversation
took
Jane
up
softly
to
her
friend
's
room
.
They
opened
the
door
gently
,
and
Jane
saw
the
grief
she
was
come
to
console
—
or
to
embitter
.
Such
a
change
!
instead
of
the
bright
,
elastic
,
impetuous
young
beauty
,
there
sat
a
pale
,
languid
girl
,
with
“
weary
of
the
world
”
written
on
every
part
of
her
eloquent
body
;
her
right
hand
dangled
by
her
side
,
and
on
the
ground
beneath
it
lay
a
piece
of
work
she
had
been
attempting
;
but
it
had
escaped
from
those
listless
fingers
:
her
left
arm
was
stretched
at
full
length
on
the
table
with
an
unspeakable
abandon
,
and
her
brow
laid
wearily
on
it
above
the
elbow
.
So
lies
the
wounded
bird
,
so
droops
the
broken
lily
.
She
did
not
move
for
Jane
's
light
foot
.
She
often
sat
thus
,
a
drooping
statue
,
and
let
the
people
come
and
go
unheeded
.
Jane
's
heart
yearned
for
her
.
She
came
softly
and
laid
a
little
hand
lightly
on
her
shoulder
,
and
true
to
her
creed
that
we
must
look
upward
for
consolation
,
said
in
her
ear
,
and
in
solemn
silvery
tones
,
“
Our
light
affliction
,
which
is
but
for
a
moment
,
worketh
for
us
a
far
more
exceeding
and
eternal
weight
of
glory
.
”
Julia
turned
at
this
and
flung
her
arms
round
Jane
's
neck
,
and
panted
heavily
.
Jane
kissed
her
,
and
with
tears
in
her
eyes
,
proceeded
to
pour
out
,
from
a
memory
richly
stored
with
Scripture
,
those
blessed
words
it
is
full
of
,
words
that
in
our
hours
of
ease
or
biblical
criticism
pass
over
the
mind
like
some
drowsy
chime
but
in
the
bitter
day
of
anguish
and
bereavement
,
when
the
body
is
racked
,
the
soul
darkened
,
shine
out
like
stars
to
the
mariner
;
seem
then
first
to
swell
to
their
real
size
and
meaning
,
and
come
to
writhing
mortals
like
pitying
seraphim
,
divinity
on
their
faces
and
healing
on
their
wings
.
Julia
sighed
heavily
:
“
Ah
,
”
she
said
,
“
these
are
sweet
words
.
But
I
am
not
ripe
for
them
.
You
show
me
the
true
path
of
happiness
:
but
I
do
n't
want
to
be
happy
;
it
's
him
I
want
to
be
happy
.
If
the
angels
came
for
me
and
took
me
to
heaven
this
moment
,
I
should
be
miserable
there
,
if
I
thought
he
was
in
eternal
torment
.
Ay
,
I
should
be
as
miserable
there
as
I
am
here
.
Oh
,
Jane
,
when
God
means
to
comfort
me
,
He
will
show
me
he
is
alive
;
till
then
words
are
wasted
on
me
,
even
Bible
words
.
”
“
Tell
her
your
news
,
my
dear
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
quietly
.
She
was
one
of
those
who
take
human
nature
as
it
is
,
and
make
the
best
of
it
.
“
Julia
dear
,
”
said
Jane
,
“
your
fears
are
extravagant
;
indeed
:
Alfred
is
alive
,
we
know
.
”
Julia
trembled
,
but
said
nothing
.
“
He
has
written
to-day
.
”
“
Ah
!
To
you
?
”
“
No
,
to
papa
.
”
“
I
do
n't
believe
it
.
Why
to
him
?
”
“
But
I
saw
the
letter
,
dear
;
I
had
it
my
hand
.
”
“
Did
you
read
it
?
”
asked
Julia
,
trembling
now
like
an
aspen
,
and
fluttering
like
a
bird
.
“
No
,
but
I
read
the
address
,
and
the
date
inside
,
and
I
saw
the
handwriting
;
and
I
was
offered
the
letter
,
but
papa
told
me
it
was
full
of
abuse
of
him
,
so
I
declined
to
read
it
;
however
,
I
will
get
it
for
you
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
thanked
her
warmly
;
but
asked
her
if
she
could
not
in
the
meantime
give
some
idea
of
the
contents
.
“
Oh
yes
,
Mrs.
Dodd
:
papa
read
me
out
a
great
deal
of
it
.
He
was
in
Paris
,
but
just
starting
for
London
:
and
he
demanded
his
money
and
his
accounts
.
You
know
papa
is
one
of
his
trustees
.
”
“
Well
,
but
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
“
there
was
nothing
—
nothing
about
—
—
?
”
“
Oh
yes
,
there
was
,
”
said
Jane
,
“
only
I
—
well
then
,
for
dear
Julia
's
sake
—
the
letter
said
,
'
What
wonder
the
son
of
a
sharper
should
prove
a
traitor
?
You
have
stolen
her
money
and
I
her
affections
,
and
'
—
oh
,
I
ca
n't
,
I
ca
n't
.
”
And
Jane
Hardie
began
to
cry
.
Mrs.
Dodd
embraced
her
like
a
mother
,
and
entered
into
her
filial
feelings
:
Mrs.
Dodd
had
never
seen
her
so
weak
,
and
,
therefore
,
never
thought
her
so
amiable
.
Thus
occupied
they
did
not
at
first
observe
how
these
tidings
were
changing
Julia
.
But
presently
looking
up
,
they
saw
her
standing
at
her
full
height
on
fire
with
wrath
and
insulted
pride
.
“
Ah
,
you
have
brought
me
comfort
,
”
she
cried
.
“
Mamma
,
I
shall
hate
and
scorn
this
man
some
day
,
as
much
as
I
hate
and
scorn
myself
now
for
every
tear
I
have
shed
for
him
.
”
They
tried
to
calm
her
,
but
in
vain
;
a
new
gust
of
passion
possessed
the
ardent
young
creature
and
would
have
vent
.
She
reddened
from
bosom
to
brow
,
and
the
scalding
tears
ran
down
her
flaming
cheeks
,
and
she
repeated
between
her
clenched
teeth
,
“
My
veins
are
not
filled
with
skim-milk
,
I
can
tell
you
:
you
have
seen
how
I
can
love
,
you
shall
see
how
I
can
hate
.
”
And
with
this
she
went
haughtily
out
of
the
room
,
not
to
expose
the
passion
which
overpowered
her
.
Mrs.
Dodd
took
advantage
of
her
absence
to
thank
Jane
for
her
kindness
,
and
told
her
she
had
also
received
some
letters
by
this
morning
's
post
,
and
thought
it
would
be
neither
kind
on
her
part
nor
just
to
conceal
their
purport
from
her
.
She
then
read
her
a
letter
from
Mrs.
Beresford
,
and
another
from
Mr.
Grey
,
in
answer
to
queries
about
the
14
,
000l
.
.
Sharpe
,
I
may
as
well
observe
,
was
at
sea
;
Bayliss
drowned
.
Mrs.
Beresford
knew
nothing
about
the
matter
.
Mr.
Grey
was
positive
Captain
Dodd
,
when
in
command
,
had
several
thousand
pounds
in
his
cabin
;
Mrs.
Beresford
's
Indian
servant
had
been
detected
trying
to
steal
it
,
and
put
in
irons
:
believed
the
lady
had
not
been
told
the
cause
—
out
of
delicacy
!
and
Captain
Roberts
had
liberated
him
.
As
to
whether
the
money
had
escaped
the
wreck
—
if
on
Captain
Dodd
's
person
,
it
might
have
been
saved
;
but
if
not
,
it
was
certainly
lost
:
for
Captain
Dodd
to
his
knowledge
had
run
on
deck
from
the
passenger
's
cabin
the
moment
the
ship
struck
,
and
had
remained
there
till
she
went
to
pieces
;
and
everything
was
washed
out
of
her
.
“
Our
own
opinion
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
“
I
mean
Edward
's
and
mine
,
is
now
,
that
the
money
was
lost
in
the
ship
;
and
you
can
tell
your
papa
so
if
you
like
.
”
Jane
thanked
her
,
and
said
she
thought
so
too
:
and
what
a
sad
thing
it
was
.
Soon
after
this
Julia
returned
,
pale
and
calm
as
a
statue
,
and
sat
down
humbly
beside
Jane
.
“
Oh
,
pray
with
me
,
”
she
said
:
“
pray
that
I
may
not
hate
,
for
to
hate
is
to
be
wicked
;
and
pray
that
I
may
not
love
,
for
to
love
is
to
be
miserable
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
retired
,
with
her
usual
tact
and
self-denial
.
Then
Jane
Hardie
,
being
alone
with
her
friend
,
and
full
of
sorrow
,
sympathy
,
and
faith
,
found
words
of
eloquence
almost
divine
to
raise
her
.
With
these
pious
consolations
Julia
's
pride
and
self-respect
now
co-operated
.
Relieved
of
her
great
terror
,
she
felt
her
insult
to
her
fingers
'
ends
:
“
I
'll
never
degrade
myself
so
far
as
to
pine
for
another
lady
's
lover
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
'll
resume
my
duties
in
another
sphere
,
and
try
to
face
the
world
by
degrees
.
I
am
not
quite
alone
in
it
;
I
have
my
mother
still
—
and
my
Redeemer
.
”
Some
tears
forced
their
way
at
these
brave
,
gentle
words
.
Jane
gave
her
time
.
Then
she
said
:
“
Begin
by
putting
on
your
bonnet
,
and
visiting
with
me
.
Come
with
one
who
is
herself
thwarted
in
the
carnal
affections
;
come
with
her
and
see
how
sick
some
are
,
and
we
two
in
health
;
how
racked
with
pain
some
are
,
and
we
two
at
ease
;
how
hungry
some
,
and
we
have
abundance
;
and
,
above
all
,
in
what
spiritual
deserts
some
lie
,
while
we
walk
in
the
Gospel
light
.
”
“
Oh
that
I
had
the
strength
,
”
said
Julia
;
“
I
'll
try
.
”
She
put
on
her
bonnet
,
and
went
down
with
her
friend
;
but
at
the
street
door
the
strange
feeling
of
shame
overpowered
her
;
she
blushed
and
trembled
,
and
begged
to
substitute
the
garden
for
the
road
.
Jane
consented
,
and
said
everything
must
have
a
beginning
.
The
fresh
air
,
the
bursting
buds
,
and
all
the
face
of
nature
,
did
Julia
good
,
and
she
felt
it
.
“
You
little
angel
,
”
said
she
,
with
something
of
her
old
impetuosity
,
“
you
have
saved
me
.
I
was
making
myself
worse
by
shutting
myself
up
in
that
one
miserable
room
.
”
They
walked
hand
in
hand
for
a
good
half
hour
,
and
then
Jane
said
she
must
go
;
papa
would
miss
her
.
Julia
was
sorry
to
part
with
her
,
and
almost
without
thinking
,
accompanied
her
through
the
house
to
the
front
gate
;
and
that
was
another
point
gained
.
“
I
never
was
so
sorry
to
part
with
you
,
love
,
”
said
she
.
“
When
will
you
come
again
?
We
leave
to-morrow
.
I
am
selfish
to
detain
you
;
but
it
seems
as
if
my
guardian
angel
was
leaving
me
.
”
Jane
smiled
.
“
I
must
go
,
”
said
she
,
“
but
I
'll
leave
better
angels
than
I
am
behind
me
.
I
leave
you
this
:
'
Humble
yourself
under
the
mighty
hand
of
God
!
'
When
it
seems
most
harsh
,
then
it
is
most
loving
.
Pray
for
faith
to
say
with
me
,
'
Lead
us
by
a
way
that
we
know
not
.
'
”
They
kissed
one
another
,
and
Julia
stood
at
the
gate
and
looked
lovingly
after
her
,
with
the
tears
standing
thick
in
her
own
violet
eyes
.
Now
Maxley
was
coming
down
the
road
,
