ofa
weak
nature
is
more
to
be
dreaded
than
any
overt
obstinacy
of
a
strong
one
.
She
had
a
conviction
that
Ascott
never
would
come
home
.
After
a
while
they
gave
up
waiting
and
watching
at
the
front
door
,
and
shut
themselves
up
in
the
parlor
.
The
first
explanation
past
,
even
Selina
ceased
talking
;
and
they
sat
together
,
the
three
women
,
doing
nothing
,
attempting
to
do
nothing
,
only
listening
;
thinking
every
sound
was
a
step
on
the
pavement
or
a
knock
at
the
door
.
Alas
!
what
would
they
not
have
given
for
the
fiercest
knock
,
the
most
impatient
,
angry
footstep
,
if
only
it
had
been
their
boy
's
?
About
one
o'clock
,
Selina
had
to
be
put
to
bed
in
strong
hysterics
.
She
had
lashed
her
nephew
with
her
bitter
tongue
till
he
had
rushed
out
of
the
house
,
declaring
that
none
of
them
should
ever
see
his
face
again
.
Now
she
reproached
herself
as
being
the
cause
of
all
,
and
fell
into
an
agony
of
remorse
,
which
engrossed
her
sisters
'
whole
care
;
until
her
violent
emotion
having
worn
itself
out
,
she
went
to
sleep
,
the
only
one
who
did
sleep
in
that
miserable
family
.
For
Elizabeth
also
,
having
been
sent
to
bed
hours
before
,
was
found
by
Miss
Hilary
sitting
on
the
kitchen
stairs
,
about
four
in
the
morning
.
Her
mistress
made
no
attempt
at
reproach
,
but
brought
her
into
the
parlor
to
share
the
silent
watch
,
never
broken
except
to
make
up
the
fire
or
light
a
fresh
candle
;
till
candles
burned
up
,
and
shutters
were
opened
,
and
upon
their
great
calamity
stared
the
broad
unwelcome
day
.
CHAPTER
XIX
.
"
Missing
"
—
"
Lost
"
—
"
To
—
"
—
all
the
initials
of
the
alphabet
—
we
read
these
sort
of
advertisements
in
the
newspapers
;
and
unless
there
happens
to
be
in
them
something
intensely
pathetic
,
comical
,
or
horrible
,
we
think
very
little
about
them
.
Only
those
who
have
undergone
all
that
such
an
advertisement
implies
can
understand
its
depth
of
misery
:
the
sudden
missing
of
the
person
out
of
the
home
circle
,
whether
going
away
in
anger
or
driven
away
by
terror
or
disgrace
;
the
hour
after
hour
and
day
after
day
of
agonized
suspense
;
the
self-reproach
,
real
or
imaginary
,
lest
any
thing
might
have
been
said
or
done
that
was
not
said
or
done
—
any
thing
prevented
that
was
not
prevented
;
the
gnawing
remorse
for
some
cruel
,
or
careless
,
or
bitter
word
,
that
could
so
easily
have
been
avoided
.
Alas
!
if
people
could
only
be
made
to
feel
that
every
word
,
every
action
carries
with
it
the
weight
of
an
eternity
;
that
the
merest
chance
may
make
something
said
or
done
quite
unpremeditatedly
,
in
vexation
,
sullenness
,
or
spite
,
the
last
action
,
the
last
word
;
which
may
grow
into
an
awful
remembrance
,
rising
up
between
them
and
the
irredeemable
past
,
and
blackening
the
future
for
years
!
Selina
was
quite
sure
her
unhappy
nephew
had
committed
suicide
,
and
that
she
had
been
the
cause
of
it
.
This
conviction
she
impressed
incessantly
on
her
two
sisters
as
they
waited
upon
her
,
or
sat
talking
by
her
bedside
during
that
long
Saturday
,
when
there
was
nothing
else
to
be
done
.
That
was
the
misery
of
it
.
There
was
nothing
to
be
done
.
They
had
not
the
slightest
clew
to
Ascott
's
haunts
or
associates
.
With
the
last
fingering
of
honest
shame
,
or
honest
respect
for
his
aunts
,
he
had
kept
all
these
things
to
himself
.
To
search
for
him
in
wide
London
was
altogether
impossible
.
Two
courses
suggested
themselves
to
Hilary
—
one
,
to
go
and
consult
Miss
Balquidder
;
the
other
—
which
came
into
her
mind
from
some
similar
case
she
had
heard
of
—
to
set
on
foot
inquiries
at
all
police
stations
.
But
the
first
idea
was
soon
rejected
:
only
at
the
last
extremity
could
she
make
patent
the
family
misery
—
the
family
disgrace
.
To
the
second
,
similar
and
even
stronger
reasons
applied
.
There
was
something
about
the
cool
,
matter-of-fact
,
business-like
act
of
setting
a
detective
officer
to
hunt
out
their
nephew
,
from
which
these
poor
women
recoiled
.
Besides
,
impressed
as
he
was
—
he
had
told
his
Aunt
Johanna
so
—
with
the
relentlessness
of
Mr.
Ascott
,
might
not
the
chance
of
his
discovering
that
he
was
hunted
drive
him
to
desperation
?
Hardly
to
suicide
.
Hilary
steadfastly
disbelieved
in
that
.
When
Selina
painted
horrible
pictures
of
his
throwing
himself
off
Waterloo
Bridge
:
or
being
found
hanging
to
a
tree
in
one
of
the
parks
;
or
locking
himself
in
a
hotel
bed
chamber
and
blowing
out
his
brains
,
her
younger
sister
only
laughed
—
laughed
as
much
as
she
could
—
if
only
to
keep
Johanna
quiet
.
Yet
she
herself
had
few
fears
.
For
she
knew
that
Ascott
was
,
in
a
sense
,
too
cowardly
to
kill
himself
.
He
so
disliked
physical
pain
,
physical
unpleasantness
of
all
kinds
.
She
felt
sure
he
would
stop
short
,
even
with
the
razor
or
the
pistol
in
his
hand
,
rather
than
do
a
thing
so
very
disagreeable
.
Nevertheless
,
in
spite
of
herself
,
while
she
and
her
sisters
sat
together
,
hour
after
hour
,
in
a
stillness
almost
like
that
when
there
is
a
death
in
the
house
,
these
morbid
terrors
took
a
double
size
.
Hilary
ceased
to
treat
them
as
ridiculous
impossibilities
,
but
began
to
argue
them
out
rationally
.
The
mere
act
of
doing
so
made
her
recoil
;
for
it
seemed
an
acknowledgment
that
she
was
fighting
not
with
chimeras
but
realities
.
"
It
is
twenty-four
hours
since
he
went
,
"
she
reasoned
.
"
If
he
had
done
anything
desperate
he
would
have
done
it
at
once
,
and
we
should
have
heard
of
it
long
before
now
;
ill
news
always
travels
fast
.
Besides
,
his
name
was
marked
on
all
his
clothes
in
full
.
I
did
it
myself
.
And
his
coat
pockets
were
always
stuffed
with
letters
;
he
used
to
cram
them
in
as
soon
as
he
got
them
,
you
know
.
"
And
at
this
small
remembrance
of
one
of
his
"
ways
,
"
even
though
it
was
an
unkind
way
,
and
had
caused
them
many
a
pain
,
from
the
want
of
confidence
it
showed
,
his
poor
,
fond
aunts
turned
aside
to
hide
their
starting
tears
.
The
very
phrase
"
he
used
to
,
"
seemed
such
an
unconscious
admission
that
his
life
with
them
was
over
and
done
;
that
he
never
would
either
please
them
or
vex
them
any
more
.
Yet
they
took
care
that
during
the
whole
day
every
thing
should
be
done
as
if
he
were
expected
minute
by
minute
;
that
Elizabeth
should
lay
the
fourth
knife
and
fork
at
dinner
,
the
fourth
cup
and
saucer
at
tea
.
Elizabeth
,
who
throughout
had
faithfully
kept
her
pledge
;
who
went
about
silently
and
unobservantly
,
and
by
every
means
in
her
power
put
aside
the
curiosity
of
Mrs.
Jones
as
to
what
could
be
the
reason
that
her
lodgers
had
sat
up
all
night
,
and
what
on
earth
had
become
of
young
Mr.
Leaf
.
After
tea
,
Johanna
,
quite
worn
out
,
consented
to
go
to
bed
;
and
then
Hilary
,
left
to
her
own
responsibility
,
set
herself
to
consider
how
long
this
dreadful
quietness
was
to
last
,
whether
nothing
could
be
done
.
She
could
endure
whatever
was
inevitable
,
but
it
was
against
her
nature
as
well
as
her
conscience
to
sit
down
tamely
to
endure
any
thing
whatsoever
till
it
did
become
inevitable
.
In
the
first
place
,
she
determined
on
that
which
a
certain
sense
of
honor
,
as
well
as
the
fear
of
vexing
him
should
he
come
home
,
had
hitherto
prevented
the
examining
of
Ascott
's
room
,
drawers
,
clothes
,
and
papers
.
It
was
a
very
dreary
business
—
almost
like
doing
the
like
to
a
person
who
was
dead
,
only
without
the
sad
sanctity
that
belongs
to
the
dead
,
whose
very
errors
are
forgotten
and
forgiven
,
who
can
neither
suffer
nor
make
others
suffer
any
more
.
Many
things
she
found
,
and
more
she
guessed
at
—
things
which
stabbed
her
to
the
heart
,
things
that
she
never
told
,
not
even
to
Johanna
;
but
she
found
no
clew
whatever
to
Ascott
's
whereabouts
,
intentions
,
or
connections
.
One
thing
,
however
,
struck
her
—
that
most
of
his
clothes
,
and
all
his
somewhat
extensive
stock
of
jewelry
were
gone
;
every
thing
,
in
short
,
that
could
be
convertible
into
money
.
It
was
evident
that
his
flight
,
sudden
as
it
was
,
had
been
premeditated
as
at
least
a
possibility
.
This
so
far
was
satisfactory
.
It
took
away
the
one
haunting
fear
of
his
committing
suicide
;
and
made
it
likely
that
he
was
still
lingering
about
,
hiding
from
justice
and
Mr.
Ascott
,
or
perhaps
waiting
for
an
opportunity
to
escape
from
England
—
from
the
fear
that
his
godfather
,
even
if
not
prosecuting
him
,
had
the
power
and
doubtless
the
will
completely
to
crush
his
future
,
wherever
he
was
known
.
Where
could
he
go
?
His
Aunt
tried
to
think
over
every
word
he
had
ever
let
fall
about
America
,
Australia
,
or
any
other
place
to
which
the
hopeless
outlaws
of
this
country
fly
;
but
she
could
recollect
nothing
to
enable
her
to
form
any
conclusion
.
One
thing
only
she
was
sure
of
—
that
if
once
he
went
away
,
his
own
words
would
come
true
;
they
would
never
see
his
face
again
.
The
last
tie
,
the
last
constraint
that
bound
him
to
home
and
a
steady
,
righteous
life
would
be
broken
;
he
would
go
all
adrift
,
be
tossed
hither
and
thither
on
every
wave
of
circumstance
—
what
he
called
circumstance
—
till
Heaven
only
knew
what
a
total
wreck
he
might
speedily
become
,
or
in
what
forlorn
and
far
off
seas
his
ruined
life
might
go
down
.
He
,
Ascott
Leaf
,
the
last
of
the
name
and
family
.
"
It
can
not
be
;
it
shall
not
be
!
"
cried
Hilary
.
A
sharp
,
bitter
cry
of
resistance
to
the
death
;
and
her
heart
seemed
to
go
out
to
the
wretched
boy
and
her
hands
to
clutch
at
him
,
as
if
he
were
drowning
,
and
she
were
the
only
one
to
save
him
.
How
could
she
do
it
?
If
she
could
only
get
at
him
,
by
word
or
letter
!
But
that
seemed
impossible
,
until
,
turning
over
scheme
after
scheme
,
she
suddenly
thought
of
the
one
which
so
many
people
had
tried
in
similar
circumstances
,
and
which
she
remembered
they
had
talked
over
and
laughed
over
,
they
and
Ascott
,
one
Sunday
evening
not
so
very
long
ago
.
This
was
—
a
Times
advertisement
.
The
difficulty
how
to
word
it
,
so
as
to
catch
his
attention
and
yet
escape
publicity
,
was
very
great
,
especially
as
his
initials
were
so
common
.
Hundreds
of
"
A
.
L.
's
"
might
be
wandering
away
from
home
,
to
whom
all
that
she
dared
say
to
call
Ascott
back
would
equally
apply
.
At
last
a
bright
thought
struck
her
.
"
A
.
leaf
"
(
will
a
small
l
)
"
will
be
quite
safe
wherever
found
.
Come
.
Saturday
.
15.
"
As
she
wrote
it
—
this
wretched
double-entendre
—
she
was
seized
with
that
sudden
sense
of
the
ludicrous
which
sometimes
intrudes
in
such
a
ghastly
fashion
in
the
very
midst
of
great
misery
.
She
burst
into
uncontrollable
laughter
,
fit
after
fit
;
so
violent
that
Elizabeth
,
who
came
in
by
chance
,
was
terrified
out
of
her
wits
,
and
kneeling
beside
her
mistress
,
implored
her
to
be
quiet
.
At
last
the
paroxysm
ended
in
complete
exhaustion
.
The
tension
of
the
last
twenty-four
hours
had
given
way
,
and
Hilary
knew
her
strength
was
gone
.
Yet
the
advertisement
ought
to
be
taken
to
the
Times
office
that
very
night
,
in
order
to
be
inserted
without
fail
on
Monday
morning
.
There
was
but
one
person
whom
she
could
trust
—
Elizabeth
.
She
looked
at
the
girl
,
who
was
kneeling
beside
the
sofa
,
rubbing
her
feet
,
and
sometimes
casting
a
glance
round
,
in
the
quiet
way
of
one
well
used
to
nursing
,
who
can
find
out
how
the
sufferer
is
without
"
fussing
"
with
questions
.
She
noticed
,
probably
because
she
had
seen
little
of
her
of
late
,
a
curious
change
in
Elizabeth
.
It
must
have
been
gradual
,
but
yet
its
result
had
never
been
so
apparent
before
.
Her
brusqueness
had
softened
down
,
and
there
had
come
into
her
and
shone
out
of
her
,
spite
of
all
her
natural
uncomeliness
of
person
,
that
beautiful
,
intangible
something
,
common
alike
to
peasant
and
queen
,
as
clear
to
see
and
as
sad
to
miss
in
both
—
womanliness
.
Added
thereto
was
the
gentle
composure
of
mein
which
almost
invariably
accompanied
it
,
which
instinctively
makes
you
fell
that
in
great
things
or
small
,
whatever
the
woman
has
to
do
,
she
will
do
it
in
the
womanliest
,
wisest
,
and
best
way
.
So
thought
Miss
Hilary
as
she
lay
watching
her
servant
,
and
then
explained
to
her
the
errand
upon
which
she
wished
to
send
her
.
Not
much
explanation
,
for
she
merely
gave
her
the
advertisement
to
read
,
and
told
her
what
she
wished
done
with
it
.
And
Elizabeth
,
on
her
part
,
asked
no
questions
,
but
simply
listened
and
obeyed
.
After
she
was
gone
Hilary
lay
on
the
sofa
,
passive
and
motionless
.
Her
strength
and
activity
seemed
to
have
collapsed
at
once
into
that
heavy
quietness
which
comes
when
one
has
endured
to
the
utmost
limit
of
endurance
when
one
feels
as
if
to
speak
a
word
or
to
lift
a
finger
would
be
as
much
as
life
was
worth
.
"
Oh
,
if
I
could
only
go
to
sleep
!
"
was
all
she
thought
.
By-and-by
sleep
did
come
,
and
she
was
taken
far
away
out
of
these
miseries
.
By
the
strange
peculiarity
of
dreams
that
we
so
seldom
dream
about
any
grief
that
oppresses
us
at
the
time
but
generally
of
something
quite
different
,
she
thought
she
was
in
some
known
unknown
land
,
lovely
and
beautiful
,
with
blue
hills
rising
in
the
distance
,
and
blue
seas
creeping
and
curling
on
to
the
shore
.
On
this
shore
she
was
walking
with
Robert
Lyon
,
just
as
he
used
to
be
,
with
his
true
face
and
honest
voice
.
He
did
not
talk
to
her
much
;
but
she
felt
him
there
,
and
knew
they
had
but
"
one
heart
between
them
.
"
A
heart
which
had
never
once
swerved
,
either
from
the
other
;
a
heart
whole
and
sound
,
into
which
the
least
unfaith
had
never
come
—
that
had
never
known
,
or
recognized
even
as
a
possibility
,
the
one
first
doubt
,
the
ominous
—
"
Little
rift
within
the
lute
,
That
by-and-by
will
make
the
music
mute
,
And
ever
widening
slowly
silence
all
.
"
Is
it
ever
so
in
this
world
?
Does
God
ever
bring
the
faithful
man
to
the
faithful
woman
,
and
make
them
love
one
another
with
a
righteous
,
holy
,
persistent
tenderness
,
which
dare
look
in
His
face
,
nor
be
ashamed
;
which
sees
in
this
life
only
the
beginning
of
the
life
to
come
;
and
in
the
closest
,
most
passionate
human
love
something
to
be
held
with
a
loose
hand
,
something
frail
as
glass
and
brittle
as
straw
,
unless
it
is
perfected
and
sanctified
by
the
love
divine
?
Hilary
at
least
believed
so
.
And
when
at
Elizabeth
's
knock
she
woke
with
a
start
,
and
saw
—
not
the
sweet
sea-shore
and
Robert
Lyon
,
but
the
dull
parlor
,
and
the
last
flicker
of
the
fire
,
she
thanked
God
that
her
dream
was
not
all
a
dream
—
that
,
sharp
as
her
misery
was
,
it
did
not
touch
this
—
the
love
of
her
heart
:
she
believed
in
Robert
Lyon
still
.
And
so
she
rose
and
spoke
quite
cheerfully
,
asking
Elizabeth
how
she
had
managed
,
and
whether
the
advertisement
would
be
sure
to
be
in
on
Monday
morning
.
"
Yes
,
Miss
Hilary
;
it
is
sure
to
be
all
right
.
"
And
then
the
girl
hung
about
the
room
in
an
uneasy
way
,
as
if
she
had
something
to
tell
,
which
was
the
fact
.
Elizabeth
had
had
an
adventure
.
It
was
a
new
thing
in
her
monotonous
life
;
it
brightened
her
eyes
,
and
flushed
her
cheeks
,
and
made
her
old
nervousness
of
manner
return
.
More
especially
as
she
was
somewhat
perplexed
,
being
divided
in
her
mind
between
the
wish
she
had
to
tell
her
mistress
every
thing
,
and
the
fear
to
trouble
her
,
at
this
troublous
time
,
with
any
small
matter
that
merely
concerned
herself
.
The
matter
was
this
.
When
she
had
given
in
her
advertisement
at
the
Times
office
,
and
was
standing
behind
the
counter
waiting
for
her
change
and
receipt
,
there
stood
beside
her
a
young
man
,
also
waiting
.
She
had
hardly
noticed
him
,
till
on
his
talking
to
the
clerk
about
some
misprint
in
his
advertisement
,
apparently
one
of
the
great
column
of
"
Want
Places
,
"
her
ear
was
caught
by
the
unmistakable
Stowbury
accent
.
It
was
the
first
time
she
had
heard
it
since
she
left
home
,
and
to
Elizabeth
's
tenacious
nature
home
in
absence
had
gained
an
additional
charm
,
had
grown
to
be
the
one
place
in
the
world
about
which
her
affections
clung
.
In
these
dreary
wilds
of
London
,
to
hear
a
Stowbury
tongue
,
to
catch
sight
of
a
Stowbury
person
,
or
even
one
who
might
know
Stowbury
,
made
her
heart
leap
up
with
a
bound
of
joy
.
She
turned
suddenly
,
and
looked
intently
at
the
young
man
,
or
rather
the
lad
,
for
he
seemed
a
mere
lad
,
small
,
slight
,
and
whiskerless
.
"
Well
,
Miss.
I
hope
you
'll
know
me
again
next
time
.
"
said
the
young
fellow
.
At
which
remark
Elizabeth
saw
that
he
was
neither
so
young
nor
so
simple
as
she
had
at
first
thought
.
She
drew
back
,
very
much
ashamed
,
and
coloring
deeply
.
Now
,
if
Elizabeth
ever
looked
any
thing
like
comely
,
it
was
when
she
blushed
;
for
she
had
the
delicate
skin
peculiar
to
the
young
women
of
her
district
;
and
when
the
blood
rushed
through
it
,
no
cheek
of
lady
fair
ever
assumed
a
brighter
rose
.
That
,
or
the
natural
vanity
of
man
in
being
noticed
by
woman
,
caught
the
youth
's
attention
.
"
Come
now
,
Miss
,
do
n't
be
shy
or
offended
.
Perhaps
I
'm
going
your
way
?
Would
you
like
company
home
?
"
"
No
,
thank
you
,
"
said
Elizabeth
,
with
great
dignity
.
"
Well
,
wo
n't
you
even
tell
a
fellow
your
name
?
Mine
's
Tom
Cliffe
,
and
I
live
—
"
"
Cliffe
!
Are
you
little
Tommy
Cliffe
,
and
do
you
come
from
Stowbury
?
"
And
all
Elizabeth
's
heart
was
in
her
eyes
.
As
has
been
said
,
she
was
of
a
specially
tenacious
nature
.
She
liked
few
people
,
but
those
she
did
like
she
held
very
fast
.
Almost
the
only
strong
interest
of
her
life
,
except
Miss
Hilary
,
had
been
the
little
boy
whom
she
had
snatched
from
under
the
horse
's
heels
;
and
though
he
was
rather
a
scape-grace
,
and
cared
little
for
her
,
and
his
mother
was
a
decidedly
objectionable
woman
,
she
had
clung
to
them
both
firmly
till
she
lost
sight
of
them
.
Now
it
was
not
to
be
expected
that
she
should
recognize
in
this
London
stranger
the
little
lad
whose
life
she
had
saved
—
a
lad
,
too
,
from
her
beloved
Stowbury
—
without
a
certain
amount
of
emotion
,
at
which
the
individual
in
question
broadly
stared
.
"
Bless
your
heart
,
I
am
Tommy
Cliffe
from
Stowbury
,
sure
enough
.
Who
are
you
?
"
"
Elizabeth
Hand
.
"
Whereupon
ensued
a
most
friendly
greeting
.
Tom
declared
he
should
have
known
her
any
where
,
and
had
never
forgotten
her
—
never
!
How
far
that
was
true
or
not
,
he
certainly
looked
as
if
it
were
;
and
two
great
tears
of
pleasure
dimmed
Elizabeth
's
kind
eyes
.
"
You
've
grown
a
man
now
,
Tommy
,
"
said
she
,
looking
at
him
with
a
sort
of
half-maternal
pride
,
and
noticing
his
remarkably
hand
some
and
intelligent
face
,
so
intelligent
that
it
would
have
attracted
notice
,
though
it
was
set
upon
broad
,
stooping
shoulders
,
and
a
small
,
slight
body
.
"
Let
me
see
;
how
old
are
you
?
"
"
I
'm
nineteen
,
I
think
.
"
"
And
I
'm
two-and-twenty
.
How
aged
we
are
growing
!
"
said
Elizabeth
,
with
a
smile
.
Then
she
asked
after
Mrs.
Cliffe
,
but
got
only
the
brief
answer
,
"
Mother
's
dead
,
"
given
in
a
tone
as
if
no
more
inquiries
would
be
welcome
.
His
two
sisters
,
also
,
had
died
of
typhus
in
one
week
,
and
Tom
had
been
"
on
his
own
hook
,
"
as
he
expressed
it
,
for
the
last
three
years
.
He
was
extremely
frank
and
confidential
;
told
how
he
had
begun
life
as
a
printer
's
"
devil
,
"
afterward
become
a
compositor
,
and
his
health
failing
,
had
left
the
trade
,
and
gone
as
servant
to
a
literary
gentleman
.
"
An
uncommon
clever
fellow
is
master
;
keeps
his
carriage
,
and
has
dukes
to
dinner
,
all
out
of
his
books
.
Maybe
you
've
heard
of
them
,
Elizabeth
?
"
and
he
named
a
few
,
in
a
patronizing
way
;
at
which
Elizabeth
smiled
,
for
she
knew
them
well
.
But
she
nevertheless
regarded
with
a
certain
awe
the
servant
of
so
great
a
man
,
and
"
little
Tommy
Cliffe
"
took
a
new
importance
in
her
eyes
.
Also
,
as
he
walked
with
her
along
the
street
to
find
an
omnibus
,
she
could
not
help
perceiving
what
a
sharp
little
fellow
he
had
grown
into
;
how
,
like
many
another
printer
's
boy
,
he
had
caught
the
influence
of
the
atmosphere
of
letters
,
and
was
educated
,
self-educated
,
of
course
,
to
a
degree
far
beyond
his
position
.
When
she
looked
at
him
,
and
listened
to
him
,
Elizabeth
involuntarily
thought
of
Benjamin
Franklin
,
and
of
many
more
who
had
raised
themselves
from
the
ink-pot
and
the
compositor
's
desk
to
fame
and
eminence
,
and
she
fancied
that
such
might
be
the
lot
of
"
little
Tommy
Cliffe
.
"
Why
not
?
If
so
,
how
excessively
proud
she
should
be
!
For
the
moment
she
had
forgotten
her
errand
;
forgotten
even
Miss
Hilary
.
It
was
not
till
Tom
Cliffe
asked
her
where
she
lived
,
that
she
suddenly
recollected
her
mistress
might
not
like
,
under
present
circumstances
,
that
their
abode
or
any
thing
concerning
them
should
be
known
to
a
Stowbury
person
.
It
was
a
struggle
.
She
would
have
liked
to
see
the
lad
again
;
have
liked
to
talk
over
with
him
Stowbury
things
and
Stowbury
people
;
but
she
felt
she
ought
not
,
and
she
would
not
.
"
Tell
me
where
you
live
,
Tom
,
and
that
will
do
just
as
well
;
at
least
till
I
speak
to
my
mistress
.
I
never
had
a
visitor
before
,
and
my
mistress
might
not
like
it
.
"
"
No
followers
allowed
,
eh
?
"
Elizabeth
laughed
.
The
idea
of
little
Tommy
Clifie
as
her
"
follower
,
"
seemed
so
very
funny
.
So
she
bade
him
good-by
;
having
,
thanks
to
his
gay
frankness
,
been
made
acquainted
with
all
about
him
,
but
leaving
him
in
perfect
ignorance
concerning
herself
and
her
mistress
.
She
only
smiled
when
he
declared
contemptuously
,
and
with
rather
a
romantic
emphasis
,
that
he
would
hunt
her
out
,
though
it
were
half
over
London
.
This
was
all
her
adventure
.
When
she
came
to
tell
it
,
it
seemed
very
little
to
tell
,
and
Miss
Hilary
listened
to
it
rather
indifferently
,
trying
hard
to
remember
who
Tommy
Cliffe
was
,
and
to
take
an
interest
in
him
because
he
came
from
Stowbury
.
But
Stowbury
days
were
so
far
off
now
—
with
such
a
gulf
or
pain
between
.
Suddenly
the
same
fear
occurred
to
her
that
had
occurred
to
Elizabeth
.
"
The
lad
did
not
see
the
advertisement
,
I
hope
?
You
did
not
tell
him
about
us
?
"
"
I
told
him
nothing
.
"
said
Elizabeth
.
speaking
softly
,
and
looking
down
.
"
I
did
not
even
mention
any
body
's
name
.
"
"
That
was
right
;
thank
you
.
"
But
oh
,
the
bitterness
of
knowing
,
and
feeling
sure
Elizabeth
knew
too
,
the
thing
for
which
she
thanked
her
;
and
that
not
to
mention
Ascott
's
name
was
the
greatest
kindness
the
faithful
servant
could
show
toward
the
family
.
CHAPTER
XX
.
Ascott
Leaf
never
came
home
.
Day
after
day
appeared
the
advertisement
,
sometimes
slightly
altered
,
as
hope
or
fear
suggested
;
but
no
word
,
no
letter
,
no
answer
of
any
kind
reached
the
anxious
women
.
By-and-by
,
moved
by
their
distress
,
or
perhaps
feeling
that
the
scape-grace
would
be
safer
got
rid
of
if
found
and
dispatched
abroad
in
some
decent
manner
,
Mr.
Ascott
himself
took
measures
for
privately
continuing
the
search
.
Every
outward-bound
ship
was
examined
;
every
hospital
visited
;
every
case
of
suicide
investigated
:
but
in
vain
.
The
unhappy
young
man
had
disappeared
,
suddenly
and
completely
,
as
many
another
has
disappeared
,
out
of
the
home
circle
,
and
been
never
heard
of
more
.
It
is
difficult
to
understand
how
a
family
can
possibly
hear
such
a
sorrow
,
did
we
not
know
that
many
have
had
to
bear
it
,
and
have
borne
it
,
with
all
its
load
of
agonizing
suspense
,
slowly
dying
hope
,
"
The
hope
that
keeps
alive
despair
,
"
settling
down
into
a
permanent
grief
,
compared
to
which
the
grief
for
loss
by
death
is
light
and
endurable
.
The
Leaf
family
went
through
all
this
.
Was
it
better
or
worse
for
them
that
their
anguish
had
to
be
secret
?
that
there
were
no
friends
to
pity
,
inquire
,
or
console
?
that
Johanna
had
to
sit
hour
by
hour
and
day
by
day
in
the
solitary
parlor
,
Selina
having
soon
gone
back
to
her
old
ways
of
"
gadding
about
,
"
and
her
marriage
preparations
;
and
that
,
hardest
of
all
,
Hilary
had
on
the
Monday
morning
to
return
to
Kensington
and
work
,
work
,
work
,
as
nothing
were
amiss
?
But
it
was
natural
that
all
this
should
tell
upon
her
;
and
one
day
Miss
Balquidder
said
,
after
a
long
covert
observation
of
her
face
,
"
My
dear
,
you
look
ill.
Is
there
any
thing
troubling
you
?
My
young
people
always
tell
me
their
troubles
,
bodily
or
mental
.
I
doctor
both
.
"
"
I
am
sure
of
it
,
"
said
Hilary
,
with
a
sad
smile
,
but
entered
into
no
explanation
,
and
Miss
Balquidder
had
the
wise
kindliness
to
inquire
no
further
.
Nevertheless
,
on
some
errand
or
other
she
came
to
Kensington
nearly
every
evening
and
took
Hilary
back
with
her
to
sleep
at
No.
15.
"
Your
sister
Selina
must
wish
to
have
you
with
her
as
much
as
possible
till
she
is
married
.
"
she
said
,
as
a
reason
for
doing
this
.
And
Hilary
acquiesced
,
but
silently
,
as
we
often
do
acquiesce
in
what
ought
to
be
a
truth
,
but
which
we
know
to
be
the
saddest
,
most
painful
falsehood
.
For
Selina
,
it
became
plain
to
see
,
was
one
of
the
family
no
more
.
After
her
first
burst
of
self-reproachful
grief
she
took
Mr.
Ascott
's
view
of
her
nephew
's
loss
—
that
it
was
a
good
riddance
;
went
on
calmly
with
her
bridal
preparations
,
and
seemed
only
afraid
lest
any
thing
should
interfere
to
prevent
her
marriage
.
But
the
danger
was
apparently
tided
over
.
No
news
of
Ascott
came
.
Even
the
daily
inquiries
for
him
by
his
creditors
had
ceased
.
His
Aunt
Selina
was
beginning
to
breathe
freely
,
when
,
the
morning
before
the
wedding
day
,
as
they
were
all
sitting
in
the
midst
of
white
finery
,
but
as
sadly
and
silently
as
if
it
were
a
funeral
,
a
person
was
suddenly
shown
in
"
on
business
.
"
It
was
a
detective
officer
sent
to
find
out
from
Ascott
Leaf
's
aunts
whether
a
certain
description
of
him
,
in
a
printed
hand-bill
,
was
correct
.
For
his
principal
creditor
,
exasperated
,
had
determined
on
thus
advertising
him
in
the
public
papers
as
having
"
absconded
.
"
Had
a
thunder-bolt
fallen
in
the
little
parlor
the
three
aunts
could
not
have
been
more
utterly
overwhelmed
.
They
made
no
"
scene
"
—
a
certain
sense
of
pride
kept
these
poor
gentlewomen
from
betraying
their
misery
to
a
strange
man
;
though
he
was
a
very
civil
man
,
and
having
delivered
himself
of
his
errand
,
like
an
automaton
,
sat
looking
into
his
hat
,
and
taking
no
notice
of
aught
around
him
.
He
was
accustomed
to
this
sort
of
thing
.
Hilary
was
the
first
to
recover
herself
.
She
glanced
round
at
her
sisters
,
but
they
had
not
a
word
to
say
.
In
any
crisis
of
family
difficulty
they
always
left
her
to
take
the
helm
.
Rapidly
she
ran
over
in
her
mind
all
the
consequences
that
would
arise
from
this
new
trouble
—
the
public
disgrace
;
Mr.
Ascott
's
anger
and
annoyance
,
not
that
she
cared
much
for
this
,
except
so
far
as
it
would
affect
Selina
;
lastly
,
the
death-blow
it
was
to
any
possible
hope
of
reclaiming
the
poor
prodigal
.
Who
she
did
not
believe
was
dead
,
but
still
,
fondly
trusted
he
would
return
one
day
from
his
wanderings
and
his
swine
's
husks
,
to
have
the
fatted
calf
killed
for
him
and
glad
tears
shed
over
him
.
But
after
being
advertised
as
"
absconded
,
"
Ascott
never
would
,
never
could
,
come
home
any
home
.
Taking
as
cool
and
business-like
a
tone
as
she
could
,
she
returned
the
paper
to
the
detective
.
"
This
is
a
summary
proceeding
.
Is
there
no
way
of
avoiding
it
?
"
"
One
,
Miss
,
"
replied
the
man
,
very
respectfully
.
"
If
the
family
would
pay
the
debt
.
"
"
Do
you
know
how
much
it
is
?
"
"
Eighty
pounds
.
"
"
Ah
!
"
That
hopeless
sigh
of
Johanna
's
was
sufficient
answer
,
though
no
one
spoke
.
But
in
desperate
cases
some
women
acquire
a
desperate
courage
,
or
rather
it
is
less
courage
than
faith
—
the
faith
which
is
said
to
"
remove
mountains
"
—
the
belief
that
to
the
very
last
there
must
be
something
to
be
done
,
and
,
if
it
can
be
done
,
they
will
have
strength
to
do
it
.
True
,
the
mountain
may
not
be
removed
,
but
the
mere
act
of
faith
,
or
courage
sometimes
teaches
how
to
climb
over
it
.
"
Very
well
.
Take
this
paper
back
to
your
employer
.
He
must
be
aware
that
his
only
chance
of
payment
is
by
suppressing
it
.
If
he
will
do
that
,
in
two
days
he
shall
hear
from
us
,
and
we
will
make
arrangements
about
paying
the
debt
.
"
Hilary
said
this
,
to
her
sisters
'
utter
astonishment
;
so
utter
that
they
let
her
say
it
,
and
let
the
detective
go
away
with
a
civil
"
Good
morning
,
"
before
they
could
interfere
or
contradict
by
a
word
.
"
Paying
the
debt
!
Hilary
,
what
have
you
promised
?
It
is
an
impossibility
.
"
"
Like
the
Frenchman
's
answer
to
his
mistress
—
'
Madame
,
if
it
had
been
possible
it
would
have
been
done
already
;
if
it
is
impossible
,
it
shall
be
done
.
'
It
shall
,
I
say
.
"
"
I
wonder
you
can
jest
about
our
misfortunes
,
"
said
Selina
,
in
her
most
querulous
voice
.
"
I
'm
not
jesting
.
But
where
is
the
use
of
sitting
down
to
moan
!
I
mean
what
I
say
.
The
thing
must
be
done
.
"
Her
eyes
glittered
—
her
small
,
red
lips
were
set
tightly
together
.
"
If
it
is
not
done
,
sisters
—
if
his
public
disgrace
is
not
prevented
,
do
n't
you
see
the
result
?
Not
as
regards
your
marriage
,
Selina
—
the
man
must
be
a
coward
who
would
refuse
to
marry
a
woman
he
cared
for
,
even
though
her
nearest
kinsman
had
been
hanged
at
the
Old
Bailey
—
but
Ascott
himself
.
The
boy
is
not
a
bad
boy
,
though
he
has
done
wickedly
;
but
there
is
a
difference
between
a
wicked
act
and
a
wicked
nature
.
I
mean
to
save
him
if
I
can
.
"
"
How
?
"
"
By
saving
his
good
name
;
by
paying
the
debt
.
"
"
And
where
on
earth
shall
you
get
the
money
?
"
"
I
will
go
to
Miss
Balquidder
and
—
"
"
Borrow
it
?
"
"
No
,
never
!
I
would
as
soon
think
of
stealing
it
.
"
Then
controlling
herself
,
Hilary
explained
that
she
meant
to
ask
Miss
Balquidder
to
arrange
for
her
with
the
creditor
to
pay
the
eighty
pounds
by
certain
weekly
or
monthly
installments
,
to
be
deducted
from
her
salary
at
Kensington
.
"
It
is
not
a
very
great
favor
to
ask
of
her
:
merely
that
she
should
say
,
'
This
young
woman
is
employed
by
me
:
I
believe
her
to
be
honest
,
respectable
,
and
so
forth
;
also
,
that
when
she
makes
a
promise
to
pay
,
she
will
to
the
best
of
her
power
perform
it
.
'
A
character
which
is
at
present
rather
a
novelty
in
the
Leaf
family
.
"
"
Hilary
!
"
"
I
am
growing
bitter
,
Johanna
;
I
know
I
am
.
Why
should
we
suffer
so
much
!
Why
should
we
be
always
dragged
down
—
down
—
in
this
way
?
Why
should
we
never
have
had
any
one
to
cherish
and
take
care
of
us
,
like
other
women
!
Why
—
"
Miss
Leaf
laid
her
finger
on
her
child
's
lips
—
"
Because
it
is
the
will
of
God
.
"
Hilary
flung
herself
on
her
dear
old
sister
's
neck
and
burst
into
tears
.
Selina
too
cried
a
little
,
and
said
that
she
should
like
to
help
in
paying
the
debt
,
if
Mr.
Ascott
had
no
objection
.
And
then
she
turned
back
to
her
white
splendors
,
and
became
absorbed
in
the
annoyance
of
there
being
far
too
much
clematis
and
far
too
little
orange
blossom
in
the
bridal
bonnet
—
which
it
was
now
too
late
to
change
.
A
little
,
also
,
she
vexed
herself
about
the
risk
of
confiding
in
Miss
Balquidder
,
lest
by
any
chance
the
story
might
get
round
to
Russell
Square
;
and
was
urgent
that
at
least
nothing
should
be
said
or
done
until
after
to-morrow
.
She
was
determined
to
be
married
,
and
dreaded
any
slip
between
the
cup
and
lip
.
But
Hilary
was
resolute
.
"
I
said
that
in
two
days
the
matter
should
be
arranged
,
and
so
it
must
be
,
or
the
man
will
think
we
too
break
our
promises
.
"
"
You
can
assure
him
to
the
contrary
,
"
said
Selina
,
with
dignity
.
"
In
fact
,
why
ca
n't
you
arrange
with
him
without
going
at
all
to
Miss
Balquidder
?
"
Again
the
fierce
,
bitter
expression
returned
to
Hilary
's
face
.
"
You
forget
,
Miss
Balquidder
's
honest
name
is
his
only
guarantee
against
the
dishonesty
of
ours
.
"
"
Hilary
,
you
disgrace
us
—
disgrace
me
—
speaking
in
such
a
way
.
Are
we
not
gentle
women
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
,
Selina
.
I
do
n't
seem
to
know
or
to
feel
any
thing
,
except
that
I
would
live
on
bread
and
water
in
order
to
live
peaceably
and
honestly
.
Oh
,
will
it
ever
,
ever
be
?
"
She
walked
up
and
down
the
parlor
,
disarranging
the
white
draperies
which
lay
about
,
feeling
unutterable
contempt
for
them
and
for
her
sister
.
Angry
and
miserable
,
with
every
nerve
quivering
,
she
was
at
war
with
the
whole
world
.
This
feeling
lasted
even
when
,
after
some
discussion
,
she
gained
her
point
and
was
on
her
way
to
call
on
Miss
Balquidder
.
She
went
round
and
round
the
Square
many
times
,
trying
to
fix
in
her
mind
word
for
word
what
she
meant
to
say
;
revealing
no
more
of
the
family
history
than
was
absolutely
necessary
,
and
stating
her
business
in
the
briefest
,
hardest
,
most
matter-of-fact
way
—
putting
it
as
a
transaction
between
employer
and
employed
,
in
which
there
was
no
more
favor
asked
or
bestowed
than
could
possibly
be
avoided
.
And
as
the
sharp
east
wind
blew
across
her
at
every
corner
,
minute
by
minute
she
felt
herself
growing
more
fierce
,
and
hard
,
and
cold
.
"
This
will
never
do
.
I
shall
be
wicked
by-and-by
.
I
must
go
in
and
get
it
over
.
"
Perhaps
it
was
as
well
.
Well
for
her
,
morally
as
physically
,
that
there
should
have
been
that
sudden
change
from
the
blighting
weather
outside
to
the
warm
,
well-lighted
room
where
the
good
rich
woman
sat
at
her
early
and
solitary
tea
.
Very
solitary
it
looked
—
the
little
table
in
the
centre
of
that
large
handsome
parlor
,
with
the
one
cup
and
saucer
,
the
one
easy-chair
.
And
as
Hilary
entered
she
noticed
,
amidst
all
this
comfort
and
luxury
,
the
still
,
grave
,
almost
sad
expression
which
solitary
people
always
get
to
wear
.
But
the
next
minute
Miss
Balquidder
had
turned
round
,
and
risen
,
smiling
.
"
Miss
Leaf
,
how
very
kind
of
you
to
come
and
see
me
!
Just
the
day
before
the
wedding
,
too
,
when
you
must
be
so
busy
!
Sit
down
and
tell
me
all
about
it
.
But
first
,
my
dear
,
how
wet
your
boots
are
!
Let
me
take
them
off
at
once
.
"
Which
she
did
,
sending
for
her
own
big
slippers
,
and
putting
them
on
the
tiny
feet
with
her
own
hands
.
Hilary
submitted
—
in
truth
she
was
too
much
surprised
to
resist
.
Miss
Balquidder
had
,
like
most
folk
,
her
opinions
or
"
crotchets
"
—
as
they
might
be
—
and
one
of
them
was
,
to
keep
her
business
and
friendly
relations
entirely
distinct
and
apart
.
Whenever
she
went
to
Kensington
or
her
other
establishments
she
was
always
emphatically
"
the
mistress
"
—
a
kindly
and
even
motherly
mistress
,
certainly
,
but
still
authoritative
,
decided
.
Moreover
,
it
was
her
invariable
rule
to
treat
all
her
employees
alike
—
"
making
no
step-bairns
"
among
them
.
Thus
for
some
time
it
had
happened
that
Hilary
had
been
,
and
felt
herself
to
be
,
just
Miss
Leaf
,
the
book
keeper
,
doing
her
duty
to
Miss
Balquidder
,
her
employer
,
and
neither
expecting
nor
attaining
any
closer
relation
.
But
in
her
own
house
,
or
it
might
be
from
the
sudden
apparition
of
that
young
face
at
her
lonely
fireside
,
Miss
Balquidder
appeared
quite
different
.
A
small
thing
touches
a
heart
that
is
sore
with
trouble
.
When
the
good
woman
rose
up
—
after
patting
the
little
feet
,
and
approving
loudly
of
the
woolen
stockings
—
she
saw
that
Hilary
's
whole
face
was
quivering
with
the
effort
to
keep
back
her
tears
.
There
are
some
woman
of
whom
one
feels
by
instinct
that
they
were
,
as
Miss
Balquidder
had
once
jokingly
said
of
herself
,
specially
meant
to
be
mothers
.
And
though
,
in
its
strange
providence
,
Heaven
often
denies
the
maternity
,
it
can
not
and
does
not
mean
to
shut
up
the
well-spring
of
that
maternal
passion
—
truly
a
passion
to
such
women
as
these
,
almost
as
strong
as
the
passion
of
love
—
but
lets
the
stream
,
which
might
otherwise
have
blessed
one
child
or
one
family
,
flow
out
wide
and
far
,
blessing
wherever
it
goes
.
In
a
tone
that
somehow
touched
every
fibre
of
Hilary
's
heart
,
Miss
Balquidder
said
,
placing
her
on
a
low
chair
beside
her
own
.
"
My
dear
,
you
are
in
trouble
.
I
saw
it
a
week
or
two
ago
,
but
did
not
like
to
speak
.
Could
n't
you
say
it
out
,
and
let
me
help
you
?
You
need
not
be
afraid
.
I
never
tell
any
thing
,
and
every
body
tells
every
thing
to
me
.
"
That
was
true
.
Added
to
this
said
mother-liness
of
hers
,
Miss
Balquidder
,
possessed
that
faculty
,
which
some
people
have
in
a
remarkable
degree
,
and
some
—
very
good
people
too
—
are
totally
deficient
in
,
of
attracting
confidence
.
The
secrets
she
had
been
trusted
with
,
the
romances
she
had
been
mixed
up
in
,
the
Quixotic
acts
she
had
been
called
upon
to
perform
during
her
long
life
,
would
have
made
a
novel
—
or
several
novels
—
such
as
no
novelist
could
dare
to
write
,
for
the
public
would
condemn
them
as
impossible
and
unnatural
.
But
all
this
experience
—
though
happily
it
could
never
be
put
into
a
book
—
had
given
to
the
woman
herself
a
view
of
human
nature
at
once
so
large
,
lenient
,
and
just
,
that
she
was
the
best
person
possible
to
hear
the
strange
and
pitiful
story
of
young
Ascott
Leaf
.
How
it
came
out
Hilary
hardly
knew
;
she
seemed
to
have
told
very
little
,
and
yet
Miss
Balquidder
guessed
it
all
.
It
did
not
appear
to
surprise
or
shock
her
.
She
neither
began
to
question
nor
preach
;
she
only
laid
her
hand
,
her
large
,
motherly
,
protecting
hand
,
on
the
bowed
head
,
saying
.
"
How
much
you
must
have
suffered
,
my
poor
bairn
!
"
The
soft
Scotch
tone
and
word
—
the
grave
,
quiet
Scotch
manner
,
implying
more
than
it
even
expressed
—
was
it
wonderful
if
underlying
as
well
as
outside
influences
made
Hilary
completely
give
way
?
Robert
Lyon
had
had
a
mother
,
who
died
when
he
was
seventeen
,
but
of
whom
he
kept
the
tenderest
remembrance
,
often
saying
that
of
all
the
ladies
he
had
met
with
in
the
world
there
was
none
equal
to
her
—
the
strong
,
tender
,
womanly
peasant
woman
—
refined
in
mind
and
word
and
ways
—
though
to
the
last
day
of
her
life
she
spoke
broad
Scotch
,
and
did
the
work
of
her
cottage
with
her
own
hands
.
It
seems
as
if
that
mother
—
toward
whom
Hilary
's
fancy
had
clung
,
lovingly
as
a
woman
ought
to
cling
,
above
all
others
,
to
the
mother
of
the
man
she
loves
—
were
speaking
to
her
now
,
comforting
her
and
helping
her
—
comfort
and
help
that
it
would
have
been
sweeter
to
receive
from
her
than
from
any
woman
living
.
A
mere
fancy
;
but
in
her
state
of
long
uncontrolled
excitement
it
took
such
possession
of
her
that
Hilary
fell
on
her
knees
and
hid
her
face
in
Miss
Balquidder
's
lap
,
sobbing
aloud
.
The
other
was
a
little
surprised
;
it
was
not
her
Scotch
way
to
yield
to
emotion
before
folk
;
but
she
was
a
wise
woman
she
asked
no
questions
,
merely
held
the
quivering
hands
and
smoothed
the
throbbing
head
,
till
composure
returned
.
Some
people
have
a
magical
,
mesmeric
power
of
soothing
and
controlling
;
it
was
hers
.
When
she
took
the
poor
face
between
her
hands
,
and
looked
straight
into
the
eyes
,
with
,
"
There
,
you
are
better
now
,
"
Hilary
returned
the
gaze
as
steadily
,
nay
,
smilingly
,
and
rose
.
"
Now
,
may
I
tell
you
my
business
?
"
"
Certainly
,
my
dear
.
When
one
's
friends
are
in
trouble
,
the
last
thing
one
ought
to
do
is
to
sit
down
beside
them
and
moan
.
Did
you
come
to
ask
my
advice
,
or
had
you
any
definite
plan
of
your
own
?
"
"
I
had
.
"
And
Hilary
told
it
.
"
A
very
good
plan
,
and
very
generous
in
you
to
think
of
it
.
But
I
see
two
strong
objections
:
first
,
whether
it
can
be
carried
out
;
secondly
,
whether
it
ought
.
"
Hilary
shrank
,
sensitively
.
"
Not
on
my
account
,
my
dear
,
but
your
own
.
I
often
see
people
making
martyrs
of
themselves
for
some
worthless
character
on
whom
the
sacrifice
is
utterly
wasted
.
I
object
to
this
,
as
I
would
object
to
throwing
myself
or
my
friend
into
a
blazing
house
,
unless
I
were
morally
certain
there
was
a
life
to
be
saved
.
Is
there
in
this
case
?
"
"
I
think
there
is
!
I
trust
in
Heaven
there
is
!
"
said
Hilary
,
earnestly
.
There
was
both
pleasure
and
pity
expressed
in
Miss
Balquidder
's
countenance
as
she
replied
,
"
Be
it
so
:
that
is
a
matter
on
which
no
one
can
judge
except
yourself
.
But
on
the
other
matter
you
ask
my
advice
,
and
I
must
give
it
.
To
maintain
two
ladies
and
pay
a
debt
of
eighty
pounds
out
of
one
hundred
a
year
is
simply
impossible
.
"
"
With
Johanna
's
income
and
mine
it
will
be
a
hundred
and
twenty
pounds
and
some
odd
shillings
a
year
.
"
"
You
accurate
girl
!
But
even
with
this
it
can
not
be
done
,
unless
you
were
to
live
in
a
manner
so
restricted
in
the
commonest
comforts
that
at
your
sister
's
age
she
would
be
sure
to
suffer
.
You
must
look
on
the
question
from
all
sides
,
my
dear
.
You
must
be
just
to
others
as
well
as
to
that
young
man
,
who
seems
never
to
—
But
I
will
leave
him
unjudged
.
"
They
were
both
silent
for
a
minute
,
and
then
Miss
Balquidder
said
:
"
I
feel
certain
there
is
but
one
rational
way
of
accomplishing
the
thing
if
you
are
bent
upon
doing
it
,
if
your
own
judgment
and
conscience
tell
you
it
ought
to
be
done
.
Is
it
so
?
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Hilary
,
firmly
.
The
old
Scotswoman
took
her
hand
with
a
warm
pressure
.
"
Very
well
.
I
do
n't
blame
you
.
I
might
have
done
the
same
myself
.
Now
to
my
plan
.
Miss
Leaf
,
have
you
known
me
long
enough
to
confer
on
me
the
benediction
—
one
of
the
few
that
we
rich
folk
possess
'
It
is
more
blessed
to
give
than
to
receive
?
'
"
"
I
do
n't
quite
understand
.
"
"
Then
allow
me
to
explain
.
I
happen
to
know
this
creditor
of
your
nephew
's
.
He
being
a
tailor
and
outfitter
,
we
have
had
dealings
together
in
former
times
,
and
I
know
him
to
be
a
hard
man
,
an
unprincipled
man
,
such
a
one
as
no
young
woman
should
have
to
do
with
,
even
in
business
relations
.
To
be
in
his
power
,
as
you
would
be
for
some
years
if
your
scheme
of
gradual
payment
were
carried
out
,
is
the
last
thing
I
should
desire
for
you
.
Let
me
suggest
another
way
.
Take
me
for
your
creditor
instead
of
him
.
Pay
him
at
once
,
and
I
will
write
you
a
check
for
the
amount
.
"
The
thing
was
put
so
delicately
,
in
such
an
ordinary
manner
,
as
if
it
were
a
mere
business
arrangement
,
that
at
first
Hilary
hardly
perceived
all
it
implied
.
When
she
did
—
when
she
found
that
it
was
in
plain
terms
a
gift
or
loan
of
eighty
pounds
offered
by
a
person
almost
a
stranger
,
she
was
at
first
quite
bewildered
.
Then
(
ah
!
let
us
not
blame
her
if
she
carried
to
a
morbid
excess
that
noble
independence
which
is
the
foundation
of
all
true
dignity
in
man
or
woman
)
she
shrunk
back
into
herself
,
overcome
with
annoyance
and
shame
.
At
last
she
forced
herself
to
say
,
though
the
words
came
out
rather
coldly
.
"
You
are
very
good
,
and
I
am
exceedingly
obliged
to
you
;
but
I
never
borrowed
money
in
my
life
.
It
is
quite
impossible
.
"
"
Very
well
;
I
can
understand
your
feelings
.
I
beg
your
pardon
,
"
replied
Miss
Balquidder
,
also
somewhat
coldly
.
They
sat
silent
and
awkward
,
and
then
the
elderly
lady
took
out
a
pencil
and
began
to
make
calculations
in
her
memorandum
book
.
"
I
am
reckoning
what
is
the
largest
sum
per
month
that
you
could
reasonably
be
expected
to
spare
,
and
how
you
may
make
the
most
of
what
remains
.
Are
you
aware
that
London
lodgings
are
very
expensive
?
I
am
thinking
that
if
you
were
to
exchange
out
of
the
Kensington
shop
into
another
I
have
at
Richmond
,
I
could
offer
you
the
first
floor
above
it
for
much
less
rent
than
you
pay
Mrs.
Jones
;
and
you
could
have
your
sister
living
with
you
.
"
"
Ah
!
that
would
make
us
both
so
much
happier
!
How
good
you
are
!
"
"
You
will
see
I
only
wish
to
help
you
to
help
yourself
;
not
to
put
you
under
any
obligation
.
Though
I
can
not
see
any
thing
so
very
terrible
in
your
being
slightly
indebted
to
an
old
woman
,
who
has
neither
chick
nor
child
,
and
is
at
perfect
liberty
to
do
what
she
likes
with
her
own
.
"
There
was
a
pathos
in
the
tone
which
smote
Hilary
into
quick
contrition
.
"
Forgive
me
!
But
I
have
such
a
horror
of
borrowing
money
—
you
must
know
why
after
what
I
have
told
you
of
our
family
.
You
must
surely
understand
—
"
"
I
do
fully
;
but
there
are
limits
even
to
independence
.
A
person
who
,
for
his
own
pleasure
,
is
ready
to
take
money
from
any
body
and
every
body
,
without
the
slightest
prospect
or
intention
of
returning
it
,
is
quite
different
from
a
friend
who
in
a
case
of
emergency
accepts
help
from
another
friend
,
being
ready
and
willing
to
take
every
means
of
repayment
,
as
I
knew
you
were
,
and
meant
you
to
be
.
I
meant
,
as
you
suggested
,
to
stop
out
of
your
salary
so
much
per
month
,
till
I
had
my
eighty
pounds
sate
back
again
.
"
"
But
suppose
you
never
had
it
back
?
I
am
young
and
strong
;
still
I
might
fall
ill
—
I
might
die
,
and
you
never
be
repaid
.
"
"
Yes
,
I
should
,
"
said
Miss
Balquidder
,
with
a
serious
smile
.
"
You
forget
,
my
dear
bairn
,
'
Inasmuch
as
ye
have
done
it
to
one
of
these
little
ones
,
ye
have
done
it
unto
ME
.
'
'
He
that
giveth
to
the
poor
lendeth
to
the
LORD
.
'
I
have
lent
Him
a
good
deal
at
different
times
,
and
He
has
always
paid
me
back
with
usury
.
"
There
was
something
at
once
solemn
and
a
little
sad
in
the
way
the
old
lady
spoke
.
Hilary
forgot
her
own
side
of
the
subject
;
her
pride
,
her
humiliation
.
"
But
do
you
not
think
,
Miss
Balquidder
,
that
one
ought
to
work
on
,
struggle
on
,
to
the
last
extremity
,
before
one
accepts
an
obligation
,
most
of
all
a
money
obligation
?
"
"
I
do
,
as
a
general
principle
.
Yet
money
is
not
the
greatest
thing
in
this
world
,
that
a
pecuniary
debt
should
be
the
worst
to
bear
.
And
sometimes
one
of
the
kindest
acts
you
can
do
to
a
fellow-creature
—
one
that
touches
and
softens
his
heart
,
nay
,
perhaps
wins
it
to
you
for
life
,
is
to
accept
a
favor
from
him
.
"
Hilary
made
no
reply
.
"
I
speak
a
little
from
experience
.
I
have
not
had
a
very
happy
life
myself
;
at
least
most
people
would
say
so
if
they
knew
it
;
but
the
Lord
has
made
it
up
to
me
by
giving
me
the
means
of
bringing
happiness
,
in
money
as
well
as
other
ways
,
to
other
people
.
Most
of
us
have
our
favorite
luxuries
;
this
is
mine
.
I
like
to
do
people
good
;
I
like
,
also
—
though
maybe
that
is
a
mean
weakness
—
to
feel
that
I
do
it
.
If
all
whom
I
have
been
made
instrumental
in
helping
had
said
to
me
,
as
you
have
done
,
'
I
will
not
be
helped
,
I
will
not
be
made
happy
,
'
it
would
have
been
rather
hard
for
me
.
"
And
a
smile
,
half
humorous
,
half
sad
,
came
over
the
hard-featured
face
,
spiritualizing
its
whole
expression
.
Hilary
wavered
.
She
compared
her
own
life
,
happy
still
,
and
hopeful
,
for
all
its
cares
,
with
that
of
this
lonely
woman
,
whose
only
blessing
was
her
riches
,
except
the
generous
heart
which
sanctified
them
,
and
made
them
such
.
Humbled
,
nay
,
ashamed
,
she
took
and
kissed
the
kindly
hand
which
has
succored
so
many
,
yet
which
,
in
the
inscrutable
mystery
of
Providence
,
had
been
left
to
go
down
to
the
grave
alone
;
missing
all
that
is
personal
,
dear
,
and
precious
to
a
woman
's
heart
,
and
getting
instead
only
what
Hilary
now
gave
her
—
the
half-sweet
,
half-bitter
payment
of
gratitude
.
"
Well
,
my
bairn
,
what
is
to
be
done
?
"
"
I
will
do
whatever
you
think
right
,
"
murmured
Hilary
.
CHAPTER
XXI
.
It
was
not
a
cheerful
morning
on
which
to
be
married
.
A
dense
,
yellow
,
London
fog
,
the
like
of
which
the
Misses
Leaf
had
never
yet
seen
,
penetrated
into
every
corner
of
the
parlor
at
No.
15
,
where
they
were
breakfasting
drearily
by
candle-light
,
all
in
their
wedding
attire
.
They
had
been
up
since
six
in
morning
,
and
Elizabeth
had
dressed
her
three
mistresses
one
after
the
other
,
taking
exceeding
pleasure
in
the
performance
.
For
she
was
still
little
more
than
a
girl
,
to
whom
a
wedding
was
a
wedding
,
and
this
was
the
first
she
had
ever
had
to
do
with
in
her
life
.
True
,
it
disappointed
her
in
some
things
.
She
was
a
little
surprised
that
last
evening
had
passed
off
just
like
all
other
evenings
.
The
interest
and
bustle
of
packing
soon
subsided
—
the
packing
consisting
only
of
the
traveling
trunk
,
for
the
rest
of
the
trousseau
went
straight
to
Russell
Square
,
every
means
having
been
taken
to
ignore
the
very
existence
of
No.
15
;
and
then
the
three
ladies
had
supper
as
usual
,
and
went
to
bed
at
their
customary
hour
without
any
special
demonstrations
of
emotion
of
affection
.
To
Elizabeth
this
was
strange
.
She
had
not
yet
learned
the
unspeakable
bitterness
of
a
parting
where
no
body
has
any
grief
to
restrain
.
On
a
wedding
morning
,
of
course
