,I
am
sorry
to
trouble
you
.
”
“
I
hope
there
is
no
misunderstanding
,
sir
,
”
was
the
reply
.
“
I
have
not
the
pleasure
of
knowing
for
whom
you
take
me
.
”
Without
regarding
this
reply
,
however
,
Mr.
Beauchamp
requested
Mr.
Grey
to
take
his
deposition
,
stating
his
own
belief
in
the
identity
of
the
person
before
him
with
Richard
Maddox
,
whom
he
charged
with
having
delivered
to
him
a
letter
falsely
purporting
to
come
from
Edward
Williams
,
demanding
three
hundred
pounds
,
which
upon
this
he
had
delivered
to
the
accused
,
to
be
forwarded
to
the
said
Mr.
Williams
.
Alison’s
heart
beat
violently
at
the
ordeal
before
her
of
speaking
to
the
genuineness
of
the
letter
.
She
had
seen
and
suspected
that
to
her
brother-in-law
,
but
she
could
not
guess
whether
the
flaws
in
that
to
Mr.
Beauchamp
would
be
equally
palpable
,
and
doubt
and
anxiety
made
her
scarcely
able
to
look
at
it
steadily
.
To
her
great
relief
,
however
,
she
was
able
to
detect
sufficient
variations
to
justify
her
assertion
that
it
was
not
authentic
,
and
she
was
able
to
confirm
her
statement
by
comparison
of
the
writing
with
that
of
a
short
,
indignant
denial
of
all
knowledge
of
the
transaction
,
which
Harry
Beauchamp
had
happily
preserved
,
though
little
regarding
it
at
the
time
.
She
also
showed
the
wrong
direction
,
with
the
name
of
the
place
misspelt
,
according
to
her
own
copy
of
her
sister-in-law’s
address
,
at
the
request
of
Maddox
himself
,
and
pointed
out
that
a
letter
to
Ermine
from
her
brother
bore
the
right
form
.
The
seal
upon
that
to
Mr.
Beauchamp
she
likewise
asserted
to
be
the
impression
of
one
which
her
brother
had
lost
more
than
a
year
before
the
date
of
the
letter
.
“
Indeed
,
sir
,
”
said
the
accused
,
fuming
to
Mr.
Grey
,
“
this
is
an
exceedingly
hard
case
.
Here
am
I
,
newly
acquitted
,
after
nearly
six
weeks’
imprisonment
,
on
so
frivolous
a
charge
that
it
has
been
dismissed
without
my
even
having
occasion
to
defend
myself
,
or
to
call
my
own
most
respectable
witnesses
as
to
character
,
when
another
charge
is
brought
forward
against
me
in
a
name
that
there
has
been
an
unaccountable
desire
to
impose
on
me
.
Even
if
I
were
the
person
that
this
gentleman
supposes
,
there
is
nothing
proved
.
He
may
very
possibly
have
received
a
forged
letter
,
but
I
perceive
nothing
to
fix
the
charge
upon
the
party
he
calls
Maddox
.
Let
me
call
in
my
own
witnesses
,
who
had
volunteered
to
come
down
from
Bristol
,
and
you
will
be
convinced
how
completely
mistaken
the
gentleman
is
.
”
To
this
Mr.
Grey
replied
that
the
case
against
him
was
not
yet
closed
,
and
cautioning
him
to
keep
his
own
witnesses
back
;
but
he
was
urgent
to
be
allowed
to
call
them
at
once
,
as
it
was
already
late
,
and
they
were
to
go
by
the
six
o’clock
train
.
Mr.
Grey
consented
,
and
a
messenger
was
sent
in
search
of
them
.
Mr.
Beauchamp
looked
disturbed
.
“
What
say
you
to
this
,
Colin
?
”
he
asked
,
uneasily
.
“
That
man’s
audacity
is
enough
to
stagger
one
,
and
I
only
saw
him
three
times
at
the
utmost
.
”
“
Never
fear
,
”
said
Colin
,
“
delay
is
all
in
our
favour
.
”
At
the
same
time
Colin
left
them
,
and
with
him
went
some
hope
and
confidence
,
leaving
all
to
feel
awkward
and
distressed
during
the
delay
that
ensued
,
the
accused
expatiating
all
the
time
on
the
unreasonableness
of
bringing
up
an
offence
committed
so
many
years
ago
,
in
the
absence
of
the
only
witness
who
could
prove
the
whole
story
,
insisting
,
moreover
,
on
his
entire
ignorance
of
the
names
of
either
Maddox
or
Williams
.
The
sight
of
his
witnesses
was
almost
welcome
.
They
were
a
dissenting
minister
,
and
a
neat
,
portly
,
respectable
widow
,
the
owner
of
a
fancy
shop
,
and
both
knew
Mr.
Mauleverer
as
a
popular
lecturer
upon
philanthropical
subjects
,
who
came
periodically
to
Bristol
,
and
made
himself
very
acceptable
.
Their
faith
in
him
was
genuine
,
and
he
had
even
interested
them
in
the
F
.
U
.
E
.
E
.
and
the
ladies
that
patronized
it
.
The
widow
was
tearfully
indignant
about
the
persecution
that
had
been
got
up
against
him
,
and
evidently
intended
to
return
with
him
in
triumph
,
and
endow
him
with
the
fancy
shop
if
he
would
condescend
so
far
.
The
minister
too
,
spoke
highly
of
his
gifts
and
graces
,
but
neither
of
them
could
carry
back
their
testimony
to
his
character
for
more
than
three
years
.
Mr.
Grey
looked
at
his
watch
,
Harry
Beauchamp
was
restless
,
and
Alison
felt
almost
faint
with
suspense
;
but
at
last
the
tramp
of
feet
was
heard
in
the
passage
.
Colonel
Keith
came
first
,
and
leaning
over
Alison’s
chair
,
said
,
“
Lady
Temple
will
wait
for
me
at
the
inn
.
It
will
soon
be
all
right
.
”
At
that
moment
a
tall
figure
in
mourning
entered
,
attended
by
a
policeman
.
For
the
first
time
,
Mauleverer’s
coolness
gave
way
,
though
not
his
readiness
,
and
,
turning
to
Mr.
Grey
,
he
exclaimed
,
“
Sir
,
you
do
not
intend
to
be
misled
by
the
malignity
of
a
person
of
this
description
.
”
“
Worse
than
a
murderess
!
”
gasped
the
scandalized
widow
Dench
.
“
Well
,
I
never
!
”
Mr.
Grey
was
obliged
to
be
peremptory
,
in
order
to
obtain
silence
,
and
enforce
that
,
let
the
new
witness
be
what
she
might
,
her
evidence
must
be
heard
.
She
had
come
in
with
the
habitual
village
curtsey
to
Mr.
Beauchamp
,
and
putting
back
her
veil
,
disclosed
to
Alison
the
piteous
sight
of
the
well-remembered
features
,
once
so
bright
with
intelligence
and
innocence
,
and
now
sunk
and
haggard
with
the
worst
sorrows
of
womanhood
.
Her
large
glittering
eyes
did
not
seem
to
recognise
Alison
,
but
they
glared
upon
Mauleverer
with
a
strange
terrible
fixedness
,
as
if
unable
to
see
any
one
else
.
To
Alison
the
sight
was
inexpressibly
painful
,
and
she
shrank
back
,
as
it
were
,
in
dread
of
meeting
the
eyes
once
so
responsive
to
her
own
.
Mr.
Grey
asked
the
woman
the
name
of
the
person
before
her
,
and
looking
at
him
with
the
same
fearful
steadiness
,
she
pronounced
it
to
be
Richard
Maddox
,
though
he
had
of
late
called
himself
Mauleverer
.
The
man
quailed
for
a
moment
,
then
collecting
himself
,
said
,
“
I
now
understand
the
incredible
ingratitude
and
malignity
that
have
pointed
out
against
me
these
hitherto
unaccountable
slanders
.
It
is
a
punishment
for
insufficient
inquiry
into
character
.
But
you
,
sir
,
in
common
justice
,
will
protect
me
from
the
aspersions
of
one
who
wishes
to
drag
me
down
in
her
justly
merited
fall
.
”
“
Sentenced
for
three
years
!
To
take
her
examination
!
”
muttered
Mrs.
Dench
,
and
with
some
difficulty
these
exclamations
were
silenced
,
and
Maria
Hatherton
called
on
for
her
evidence
.
Concise
,
but
terrible
in
its
clear
brevity
,
was
the
story
of
the
agent
tampering
with
her
,
the
nursemaid
,
until
she
had
given
him
access
to
the
private
rooms
,
where
he
had
turned
over
the
papers
.
On
the
following
day
,
Mr.
Williams
had
been
inquiring
for
his
seal-ring
,
but
she
herself
had
not
seen
it
again
till
some
months
after
,
when
she
had
left
her
place
,
and
was
living
in
lodgings
provided
for
her
by
Maddox
,
when
she
had
found
the
ring
in
the
drawer
of
his
desk
;
her
suspicion
had
then
been
first
excited
by
his
displeasure
at
her
proposing
to
him
to
return
it
,
thinking
it
merely
there
by
accident
,
and
she
had
afterwards
observed
him
endeavouring
to
copy
fragments
of
Mr.
Williams’s
writing
.
These
he
had
crushed
up
and
thrown
aside
,
but
she
had
preserved
them
,
owning
that
she
did
not
know
what
might
come
of
them
,
and
the
family
had
been
very
kind
to
her
.
The
seal
and
the
scraps
of
paper
were
here
produced
by
the
policeman
who
had
them
in
charge
.
The
seal
perfectly
coincided
with
that
which
had
closed
the
letter
to
Harry
Beauchamp
,
and
was
,
moreover
,
identified
by
both
Alison
and
Colonel
Keith
.
It
was
noticeable
,
too
,
that
one
of
these
fragments
was
the
beginning
of
a
note
to
Mr.
Beauchamp
,
as
“
Dear
H
.
”
and
this
,
though
not
Edward’s
most
usual
style
of
addressing
his
friend
,
was
repeated
in
the
demand
for
the
£
300.
“
Sir
,
”
said
the
accused
,
“
of
course
I
have
no
intention
of
intimating
that
a
gentleman
like
the
Honourable
Colonel
Keith
has
been
in
any
collusion
with
this
unhappy
woman
,
but
it
must
be
obvious
to
you
that
his
wish
to
exonerate
his
friend
has
induced
him
to
give
too
easy
credence
to
this
person’s
malignant
attempts
to
fasten
upon
one
whom
she
might
have
had
reason
to
regard
as
a
benefactor
the
odium
of
the
transactions
that
she
acknowledges
to
have
taken
place
between
herself
and
this
Maddox
,
thereto
incited
,
no
doubt
,
by
some
resemblance
which
must
be
strong
,
since
it
has
likewise
deceived
Mr.
Beauchamp
.
”
Mr.
Grey
looked
perplexed
and
vexed
,
and
asked
Mr.
Beauchamp
if
he
could
suggest
any
other
person
able
to
identify
Maddox
.
He
frowned
,
said
there
must
have
been
workmen
at
the
factory
,
but
knew
not
where
they
were
,
looked
at
Colin
Keith
,
asked
Alison
if
she
or
her
sister
had
ever
seen
Maddox
,
then
declared
he
could
lay
his
hands
on
no
one
but
Dr.
Long
at
Belfast
.
Mauleverer
vehemently
exclaimed
against
the
injustice
of
detaining
him
till
a
witness
could
be
summoned
from
that
distance
.
Mr.
Grey
evidently
had
his
doubts
,
and
began
to
think
of
calling
in
some
fresh
opinion
whether
he
had
sufficient
grounds
for
committal
,
and
Alison’s
hopes
were
only
unstained
by
Colin’s
undaunted
looks
,
when
there
came
a
knock
at
the
door
,
and
,
as
much
to
the
surprise
of
Alison
as
of
every
one
else
,
there
entered
an
elderly
maid-servant
,
leading
a
little
girl
by
the
hand
,
and
Colonel
Keith
going
to
meet
the
latter
,
said
,
“
Do
not
be
frightened
,
my
dear
,
you
have
only
to
answer
a
few
questions
as
plainly
and
clearly
as
you
can
.
”
Awed
,
silent
,
and
dazzled
by
the
sudden
gas-light
,
she
clung
to
his
hand
,
but
evidently
distinguished
no
one
else
;
and
he
placed
her
close
to
the
magistrate
saying
,
“
This
is
Mr.
Grey
,
Rose
,
tell
him
your
name
.
”
And
Mr.
Grey
taking
her
hand
and
repeating
the
question
,
the
clear
little
silvery
voice
answered
,
“
I
am
Rose
Ermine
Williams
.
”
“
And
how
old
are
you
,
my
dear
?
”
“
I
was
eight
on
the
last
of
June
.
”
“
She
knows
the
nature
of
an
oath
?
”
asked
Mr.
Grey
of
the
Colonel
.
“
Certainly
,
you
can
soon
satisfy
yourself
of
that
.
”
“
My
dear
,
”
then
said
Mr.
Grey
,
taking
her
by
the
hand
again
,
and
looking
into
the
brown
intelligent
eyes
,
“
I
am
sure
you
have
been
well
taught
.
Can
you
tell
me
what
is
meant
by
taking
an
oath
before
a
magistrate
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Rose
,
colour
flushing
into
her
face
,
“
it
is
calling
upon
Almighty
God
to
hear
one
speak
the
truth
.
”
She
spoke
so
low
that
she
could
hardly
be
heard
,
and
she
looked
full
of
startled
fear
and
distress
,
turning
her
face
up
to
Colonel
Keith
with
a
terrified
exclamation
,
“
Oh
please
,
why
am
I
here
,
what
am
I
to
say
?
”
He
was
sorry
for
her
;
but
her
manifest
want
of
preparation
was
all
in
favour
of
the
cause
,
and
he
soothed
her
by
saying
,
“
Only
answer
just
what
you
are
asked
as
clearly
as
you
can
,
and
Mr.
Grey
will
soon
let
you
go
.
He
knows
you
would
try
any
way
to
speak
the
truth
,
but
as
he
is
going
to
examine
you
as
a
magistrate
,
he
must
ask
you
to
take
the
oath
first
.
”
Rose
repeated
the
oath
in
her
innocent
tones
,
and
perhaps
their
solemnity
or
the
fatherly
gentleness
of
Mr.
Grey
reassured
her
,
for
her
voice
trembled
much
less
when
she
answered
his
next
inquiry
,
who
her
parents
were
.
“
My
mother
is
dead
,
”
she
said
;
“
my
father
is
Mr
Williams
,
he
is
away
at
Ekaterinburg
.
”
“
Do
you
remember
any
time
before
he
was
at
Ekaterinburg
?
”
“
Oh
yes
;
when
we
lived
at
Kensington
,
and
he
had
the
patent
glass
works
.
”
“
Now
,
turn
round
and
say
if
there
is
any
one
here
whom
you
know
?
”
Rose
,
who
had
hitherto
stood
facing
Mr.
Grey
,
with
her
back
to
the
rest
of
the
room
,
obeyed
,
and
at
once
exclaimed
,
“
Aunt
Alison
,
”
then
suddenly
recoiled
,
and
grasped
at
the
Colonel
.
“
What
is
it
,
my
dear
?
”
“
It
is
—
it
is
Mr.
Maddox
,
”
and
with
another
gasp
of
fright
,
“
and
Maria
!
Oh
,
let
me
go
.
”
But
Mr.
Grey
put
his
arm
round
her
,
and
assured
her
that
no
one
could
harm
her
,
Colonel
Keith
let
his
fingers
be
very
hard
pinched
,
and
her
aunt
came
nearer
,
all
telling
her
that
she
had
only
to
make
her
answers
distinctly
;
and
though
still
shrinking
,
she
could
reply
to
Mr.
Grey’s
question
whom
she
meant
by
Mr.
Maddox
.
“
The
agent
for
the
glass
—
my
father’s
agent
.
”
“
And
who
is
Maria
?
”
“
She
was
my
nurse
.
”
“
When
did
you
last
see
the
person
you
call
Mr.
Maddox
?
”
“
Last
time
,
I
was
sure
of
it
,
was
when
I
was
walking
on
the
esplanade
at
Avoncester
with
Colonel
Keith
,
”
said
Rose
,
very
anxious
to
turn
aside
and
render
her
words
inaudible
.
“
I
suppose
you
can
hardly
tell
when
that
was
?
”
“
Yes
,
it
was
the
day
before
you
went
away
to
Lord
Keith’s
wedding
,
”
said
Rose
,
looking
to
the
Colonel
.
“
Had
you
seen
him
before
?
”
“
Twice
when
I
was
out
by
myself
,
but
it
frightened
me
so
that
I
never
looked
again
.
”
“
Can
you
give
me
any
guide
to
the
time
?
”
She
was
clear
that
it
had
been
after
Colonel
Keith’s
first
stay
at
Avonmouth
,
but
that
was
all
,
and
being
asked
if
she
had
ever
mentioned
these
meetings
,
“
Only
when
Colonel
Keith
saw
how
frightened
I
was
,
and
asked
me
.
”
“
Why
were
you
frightened
?
”
asked
Mr.
Grey
,
on
a
hint
from
the
Colonel
.
“
Because
I
could
not
quite
leave
off
believing
the
dreadful
things
Mr.
Maddox
and
Maria
said
they
would
do
to
me
if
I
told
.
”
“
Told
what
?
”
“
About
Mr.
Maddox
coming
and
walking
with
Maria
when
she
was
out
with
me
,
”
gasped
Rose
,
trying
to
avert
her
head
,
and
not
comforted
by
hearing
Mr.
Grey
repeat
her
words
to
those
tormentors
of
her
infancy
.
A
little
encouragement
,
however
,
brought
out
the
story
of
the
phosphoric
letters
,
the
lions
,
and
the
vision
of
Maddox
growling
in
the
dressing-room
.
The
date
of
the
apparition
could
hardly
be
hoped
for
,
but
fortunately
Rose
remembered
that
it
was
two
days
before
her
mamma’s
birthday
,
because
she
had
felt
it
so
bard
to
be
eaten
up
before
the
fete
,
and
this
date
tallied
with
that
given
by
Maria
of
her
admitting
her
treacherous
admirer
into
the
private
rooms
.
“
The
young
lady
may
be
precocious
,
no
doubt
,
sir
,
”
here
said
the
accused
,
“
but
I
hardly
see
why
she
has
been
brought
here
.
You
can
attach
no
weight
to
the
confused
recollections
of
so
young
a
child
,
of
matters
that
took
place
so
long
ago
.
”
“
The
question
will
be
what
weight
the
jury
will
attach
to
them
at
the
assizes
,
”
said
Mr.
Grey
.
“
You
will
permit
me
to
make
one
inquiry
of
the
young
lady
,
sir
.
Who
told
her
whom
she
might
expect
to
see
here
?
”
Mr.
Grey
repeated
the
query
,
and
Rose
answered
,
“
Nobody
;
I
knew
my
aunt
and
the
Colonel
and
Lady
Temple
were
gone
in
to
Avoncester
,
and
Aunt
Ermine
got
a
note
from
the
Colonel
to
say
that
I
was
to
come
in
to
him
with
Tibbie
in
a
fly
.
”
“
Did
you
know
what
you
were
wanted
for
?
”
“
No
,
I
could
not
think
.
I
only
knew
they
came
to
get
the
woman
punished
for
being
so
cruel
to
the
poor
little
girls
.
”
“
Do
you
know
who
that
person
was
?
”
“
Mrs.
Rawlins
,
”
was
the
ready
answer
.
“
I
think
,
”
said
Mr.
Grey
to
the
accused
,
“
that
you
must
perceive
that
,
with
such
coincidence
of
testimony
as
I
have
here
,
I
have
no
alternative
but
to
commit
you
for
the
summer
assizes
.
”
Mauleverer
murmured
something
about
an
action
for
false
imprisonment
,
but
he
did
not
make
it
clear
,
and
he
was
evidently
greatly
crestfallen
.
He
had
no
doubt
hoped
to
brazen
out
his
assumed
character
sufficiently
to
disconcert
Mr.
Beauchamp’s
faith
in
his
own
memory
,
and
though
he
had
carried
on
the
same
game
after
being
confronted
with
Maria
,
it
was
already
becoming
desperate
.
He
had
not
reckoned
upon
her
deserting
his
cause
even
for
her
own
sake
,
and
the
last
chance
of
employing
her
antecedents
to
discredit
her
testimony
,
had
been
overthrown
by
Rose’s
innocent
witness
to
their
mutual
relations
,
a
remembrance
which
had
been
burnt
in
on
her
childish
memory
by
the
very
means
taken
to
secure
her
silence
.
When
the
depositions
were
read
over
,
their
remarkable
and
independent
accordance
was
most
striking
;
Mrs.
Dench
had
already
been
led
away
by
the
minister
,
in
time
to
catch
her
train
,
just
when
her
sobs
of
indignation
at
the
deception
were
growing
too
demonstrative
,
and
the
policeman
resumed
the
charge
of
Maria
Hatherton
.
Little
Rose
looked
up
to
her
,
saying
,
“
Please
,
Aunt
Ailie
,
may
I
speak
to
her
?
”
Alison
had
been
sitting
restless
and
perplexed
between
impulses
of
pity
and
repulsion
,
and
doubts
about
the
etiquette
of
the
justice
room
;
but
her
heart
yearned
over
the
girl
she
had
cherished
,
and
she
signed
permission
to
Rose
,
whose
timidity
had
given
way
amid
excitement
and
encouragement
.
“
Please
,
Maria
,
”
she
said
,
“
don’t
be
angry
with
me
for
telling
;
I
never
did
till
Colonel
Keith
asked
me
,
and
I
could
not
help
it
.
Will
you
kiss
me
and
forgive
me
as
you
used
?
”
The
hard
fierce
eyes
,
that
had
not
wept
over
the
child’s
coffin
,
filled
with
tears
.
“
Oh
,
Miss
Rose
,
Miss
Rose
,
do
not
come
near
me
.
Oh
,
if
I
had
minded
you
—
and
your
aunts
—
”
And
the
pent-up
misery
of
the
life
that
had
fallen
lower
and
lower
since
the
first
step
in
evil
,
found
its
course
in
a
convulsive
sob
and
shriek
,
so
grievous
that
Alison
was
thankful
for
Colin’s
promptitude
in
laying
hold
of
Rose
,
and
leading
her
out
of
the
room
before
him
.
Alison
felt
obliged
to
follow
,
yet
could
not
bear
to
leave
Maria
to
policemen
and
prison
warders
.
“
Maria
,
poor
Maria
,
I
am
so
sorry
for
you
,
I
will
try
to
come
and
see
you
—
”
But
her
hand
was
seized
with
an
imperative
,
“
Ailie
,
you
must
come
,
they
are
all
waiting
for
you
.
”
How
little
had
she
thought
her
arm
would
ever
be
drawn
into
that
arm
,
so
unheeded
by
both
.
“
So
that
is
Edward’s
little
girl
!
Why
,
she
is
the
sweetest
little
clear-headed
thing
I
have
seen
a
long
time
.
She
was
the
saving
of
us
.
”
“
It
was
well
thought
of
by
Colin
.
”
“
Colin
is
a
lawyer
spoilt
—
that’s
a
fact
.
A
first-rate
get-up
of
a
case
!
”
“
And
you
think
it
safe
now
?
”
“
Nothing
safer
,
so
Edward
turns
up
.
How
he
can
keep
away
from
such
a
child
as
that
,
I
can’t
imagine
.
Where
is
she
?
Oh
,
here
—
”
as
they
came
into
the
porch
in
fuller
light
,
where
the
Colonel
and
Rose
waited
for
them
.
“
Ha
,
my
little
Ailie
,
I
must
make
better
friends
with
you
.
”
“
My
name
is
Rose
,
not
Ailie
,
”
replied
the
little
girl
.
“
Oh
,
aye
!
Well
,
it
ought
to
have
been
,
what
d’ye
call
her
—
that
was
a
Daniel
come
to
judgment
?
”
“
Portia
,
”
returned
Rose
;
“
but
I
don’t
think
that
is
pretty
at
all
.
”
“
And
where
is
Lady
Temple
?
”
anxiously
asked
Alison
.
“
She
must
be
grieved
to
be
detained
so
long
.
”
“
Oh
!
Lady
Temple
is
well
provided
for
,
”
said
the
Colonel
,
“
all
the
magistrates
and
half
the
bar
are
at
her
feet
.
They
say
the
grace
and
simplicity
of
her
manner
of
giving
her
evidence
were
the
greatest
contrast
to
poor
Rachel’s
.
”
“
But
where
is
she
?
”
still
persisted
Alison
.
“
At
the
hotel
;
Maria’s
was
the
last
case
of
the
day
,
and
she
went
away
directly
after
it
,
with
such
a
choice
of
escorts
that
I
only
just
spoke
to
her
.
”
And
at
the
hotel
they
found
the
waggonette
at
the
gateway
,
and
Lady
Temple
in
the
parlour
with
Sir
Edward
Morden
,
who
,
late
as
it
was
,
would
not
leave
her
till
he
had
seen
her
with
the
rest
of
the
party
.
She
sprang
up
to
meet
them
,
and
was
much
relieved
to
hear
that
Mauleverer
was
again
secured
.
“
Otherwise
,
”
she
said
,
“
it
would
have
been
all
my
fault
for
having
acted
without
asking
advice
.
I
hope
I
shall
never
do
so
again
.
”
She
insisted
that
all
should
go
home
together
in
the
waggonette
,
and
Rose
found
herself
upon
Mr.
Beauchamp’s
knee
,
serving
as
usual
as
a
safety
valve
for
the
feelings
of
her
aunt’s
admirers
.
There
was
no
inconstancy
on
her
part
,
she
would
much
have
preferred
falling
to
the
lot
of
her
own
Colonel
,
but
the
open
carriage
drive
was
rather
a
risk
for
him
in
the
night
air
,
and
though
he
had
undertaken
it
in
the
excitement
,
he
soon
found
it
requisite
to
muffle
himself
up
,
and
speak
as
little
as
possible
.
Harry
Beauchamp
talked
enough
for
both
.
He
was
in
high
spirits
,
partly
,
as
Colin
suspected
,
with
the
escape
from
a
dull
formal
home
,
and
partly
with
the
undoing
of
a
wrong
that
had
rankled
in
his
conscience
more
than
he
had
allowed
to
himself
.
Lady
Temple
,
her
heart
light
at
the
convalescence
of
her
sons
,
was
pleased
with
everything
,
liked
him
extremely
,
and
answered
gaily
;
and
Alison
enjoyed
the
resumption
of
pleasant
habits
of
days
gone
by
.
Yet
,
delightful
as
it
all
was
,
there
was
a
sense
of
disenchantment
:
she
was
marvelling
all
the
time
how
she
could
have
suffered
so
much
on
Harry
Beauchamp’s
account
.
The
rejection
of
him
had
weighed
like
a
stone
upon
her
heart
,
but
now
it
seemed
like
freedom
to
have
escaped
his
companionship
for
a
lifetime
.
Presently
a
horse’s
feet
were
heard
on
the
road
before
them
;
there
was
a
meeting
and
a
halt
,
and
Alick
Keith’s
voice
called
out
—
“
How
has
it
gone
?
”
“
Why
,
were
you
not
in
court
?
”
“
What
!
I
go
to
hear
my
friends
baited
!
”
“
Where
were
you
then
?
”
“
At
Avonmouth
.
”
“
Oh
,
then
you
have
seen
the
boys
,
”
cried
Lady
Temple
.
“
How
is
Conrade
?
”
“
Quite
himself
.
Up
to
a
prodigious
amount
of
indoor
croquet
.
But
how
has
it
gone
?
”
“
Such
a
shame
!
”
returned
Lady
Temple
.
“
They
acquitted
the
dreadful
man
,
and
the
poor
woman
,
whom
he
drove
to
it
,
has
a
year’s
imprisonment
and
hard
labour
!
”
“
Acquitted
!
What
,
is
he
off
?
”
“
Oh
,
no
,
no
!
he
is
safe
,
and
waiting
for
the
Assizes
,
all
owing
to
the
Colonel
and
little
Rose
.
”
“
He
is
committed
for
the
former
offence
,
”
said
Colonel
Keith
;
“
the
important
one
.
”
“
That’s
right
!
Good
night
!
And
how
,
”
he
added
,
reining
back
his
horse
,
“
did
your
cousin
get
through
it
?
”
“
Oh
,
they
were
so
hard
on
her
!
”
cried
Lady
Temple
.
“
I
could
hardly
bring
myself
to
speak
to
Sir
Edward
after
it
!
It
was
as
if
he
thought
it
all
her
fault
!
”
“
Her
evidence
broke
down
completely
,
”
said
Colonel
Keith
.
“
Sir
Edward
spared
her
as
much
as
he
could
;
but
the
absurdity
of
her
whole
conduct
was
palpable
.
I
hope
she
has
had
a
lesson
.
”
Alick’s
impatient
horse
flew
on
with
him
,
and
Colin
muttered
to
Alison
under
his
mufflers
,
—
“
I
never
could
make
out
whether
that
is
the
coolest
or
the
most
sensitive
fellow
living
!
”
CHAPTER
XXII
.
THE
AFTER
CLAP
“
I
have
read
in
the
marvellous
heart
of
man
,
That
strange
and
mystic
scroll
,
That
an
army
of
phantoms
vast
and
wan
Beleaguer
the
human
soul
.
“
Encamped
beside
life’s
rushing
stream
,
In
Fancy’s
misty
light
,
Gigantic
shapes
and
shadows
gleam
Portentous
through
the
night
.
”
The
Beleaguered
City
,
LONGFELLOW
.
A
dinner
party
at
the
Deanery
in
the
sessions
week
was
an
institution
,
but
Rachel
,
lying
on
the
sofa
in
a
cool
room
,
had
thought
herself
exempt
from
it
,
and
was
conscious
for
the
time
of
but
one
wish
,
namely
,
to
be
let
alone
,
and
to
be
able
to
shut
her
eyes
,
without
finding
the
lids
,
as
it
were
,
lined
with
tiers
of
gazing
faces
,
and
curious
looks
turned
on
her
,
and
her
ears
from
the
echo
of
the
roar
of
fury
that
had
dreadfully
terrified
both
her
and
her
mother
,
and
she
felt
herself
to
have
merited
!
The
crush
of
public
censure
was
not
at
the
moment
so
overwhelming
as
the
strange
morbid
effect
of
having
been
the
focus
of
those
many
,
many
glances
,
and
if
she
reflected
at
all
,
it
was
with
a
weary
speculating
wonder
whether
one
pair
of
dark
grey
eyes
had
been
among
those
levelled
at
her
.
She
thought
that
if
they
had
,
she
could
not
have
missed
either
their
ironical
sting
,
or
perchance
some
kindly
gleam
of
sympathy
,
such
as
had
sometimes
surprised
her
from
under
the
flaxen
lashes
.
There
she
had
lain
,
unmolested
and
conscious
of
a
certain
relief
in
the
exceeding
calm
;
the
grey
pinnacle
of
the
cathedral
,
and
a
few
branches
of
an
elm-tree
alone
meeting
her
eye
through
the
open
window
,
and
the
sole
sound
the
cawing
of
the
rooks
,
whose
sailing
flight
amused
and
attracted
her
glance
from
time
to
time
with
dreamy
interest
.
Grace
had
gone
into
court
to
hear
Maria
Hatherton’s
trial
,
and
all
was
still
.
The
first
break
was
when
her
mother
and
Miss
Wellwood
came
in
,
after
having
wandered
gently
together
round
the
warm
,
walled
Deanery
garden
,
comparing
notes
about
their
myrtles
and
geraniums
.
Then
it
was
that
amid
all
their
tender
inquiries
after
her
headache
,
and
their
administration
of
afternoon
tea
,
it
first
broke
upon
Rachel
that
they
expected
her
to
go
down
to
dinner
.
“
Pray
excuse
me
,
”
she
said
imploringly
,
looking
at
her
mother
for
support
,
“
indeed
,
I
don’t
know
that
I
could
sit
out
a
dinner
!
A
number
of
people
together
make
me
so
dizzy
and
confused
.
”
“
Poor
child
!
”
said
Miss
Wellwood
,
kindly
,
but
looking
to
Mrs.
Curtis
in
her
turn
.
“
Perhaps
,
as
she
has
been
so
ill
,
the
evening
might
be
enough
.
”
“
Oh
,
”
exclaimed
Rachel
,
“
I
hope
to
be
in
bed
before
you
have
finished
dinner
.
Indeed
I
am
not
good
company
for
any
one
.
”
“
Don’t
say
that
,
my
dear
,
”
and
Miss
Wellwood
looked
puzzled
.
“
Indeed
,
my
dear
,
”
said
Mrs.
Curtis
,
evidently
distressed
,
“
I
think
the
exertion
would
be
good
for
you
,
if
you
could
only
think
so
.
”
“
Yes
,
indeed
,
”
said
Miss
Wellwood
,
catching
at
the
notion
;
“
it
is
your
mind
that
needs
the
distraction
,
my
dear
.
”
“
I
am
distracted
enough
already
,
”
poor
Rachel
said
,
putting
her
hand
up
.
“
Indeed
,
I
do
not
want
to
be
disobliging
,
”
she
said
,
interpreting
her
mother’s
anxious
gestures
to
mean
that
she
was
wanting
in
civility
;
“
it
is
very
kind
in
you
,
Miss
Wellwood
,
but
this
has
been
a
very
trying
day
,
and
I
am
sure
I
can
give
no
pleasure
to
anybody
,
so
if
I
might
only
be
let
off
.
”
“
It
is
not
so
much
—
”
began
Miss
Wellwood
,
getting
into
a
puzzle
,
and
starting
afresh
.
“
Indeed
,
my
dear
,
my
brother
and
I
could
not
bear
that
you
should
do
anything
you
did
not
like
,
only
you
see
it
would
never
do
for
you
to
seem
to
want
to
shut
yourself
up
.
”
“
I
should
think
all
the
world
must
feel
as
if
I
ought
to
be
shut
up
for
life
,
”
said
Rachel
,
dejectedly
.
“
Ah
!
but
that
is
the
very
thing
.
If
you
do
not
show
yourself
it
will
make
such
a
talk
.
”
Rachel
had
nearly
said
,
“
Let
them
talk
;
”
but
though
she
felt
tormented
to
death
,
habitual
respect
to
these
two
gentle
,
nervous
,
elderly
women
made
her
try
to
be
courteous
,
and
she
said
,
“
Indeed
,
I
cannot
much
care
,
provided
I
don’t
hear
them
.
”
“
Ah
!
but
you
don’t
know
,
my
dear
,
”
said
Mrs.
Curtis
,
seeing
her
friend
looked
dismayed
at
this
indifference
.
“
Indeed
,
dear
Miss
Wellwood
,
she
does
not
know
;
we
thought
it
would
be
so
awkward
for
her
in
court
.
”
“
Know
what
?
”
exclaimed
Rachel
,
sitting
upright
,
and
putting
down
her
feet
.
“
What
have
you
been
keeping
from
me
?
”
“
Only
—
only
,
my
dear
,
people
will
say
such
things
,
and
nobody
could
think
it
that
knew
you
.
”
“
What
?
”
demanded
Rachel
.
“
Yes
,
”
said
Mrs.
Curtis
,
perhaps
,
since
her
daughter
was
to
have
the
shock
,
rather
glad
to
have
a
witness
to
the
surprise
it
caused
her
:
“
you
know
people
will
gossip
,
and
some
one
has
put
it
about
that
—
that
this
horrid
man
was
—
”
Mrs.
Curtis
paused
,
Miss
Wellwood
was
as
pink
as
her
cap
strings
.
Rachel
grasped
the
meaning
at
last
.
“
Oh
!
”
she
said
,
with
less
reticence
than
her
elders
,
“
there
must
needs
be
a
spice
of
flirtation
to
give
piquancy
to
the
mess
of
gossip
!
I
don’t
wonder
,
there
are
plenty
of
people
who
judge
others
by
themselves
,
and
think
that
motive
must
underlie
everything
!
I
wonder
who
imagines
that
I
am
fallen
so
low
?
”
“
There
,
I
knew
she
would
take
it
in
that
way
,
”
said
Mrs.
Curtis
.
“
And
so
you
understand
us
,
my
dear
,
we
could
not
bear
to
ask
you
to
do
anything
so
distressing
except
for
your
own
sake
.
”
“
I
am
far
past
caring
for
my
own
sake
,
”
said
Rachel
,
“
but
for
yours
and
Grace’s
,
mother
,
I
will
give
as
much
ocular
demonstration
as
I
can
,
that
I
am
not
pining
for
this
hero
with
a
Norman
name
.
I
own
I
should
have
thought
none
of
the
Dean’s
friends
would
have
needed
to
be
convinced
.
”
“
Oh
,
no
!
no
!
but
—
”
Miss
Wellwood
made
a
great
confusion
of
noes
,
buts
,
and
my
dears
,
and
Mrs.
Curtis
came
to
the
rescue
.
“
After
all
,
my
love
,
one
can’t
so
much
wonder
!
You
have
always
been
very
peculiar
,
you
know
,
and
so
clever
,
and
you
took
up
this
so
eagerly
.
And
then
the
Greys
saw
you
so
unwilling
to
prosecute
.
And
—
and
I
have
always
allowed
you
too
much
liberty
—
ever
since
your
poor
dear
papa
was
taken
—
and
now
it
has
come
upon
you
,
my
poor
child
!
Oh
,
I
hope
dear
Fanny
will
take
warning
by
me
,
”
and
off
went
poor
Mrs.
Curtis
into
a
fit
of
sobs
.
“
Mother
—
mother
!
this
is
worse
than
anything
,
”
exclaimed
Rachel
in
an
agony
,
springing
to
her
feet
,
and
flying
after
sal
volatile
,
but
feeling
frightfully
helpless
without
Grace
,
the
manager
of
all
Mrs.
Curtis’s
ailments
and
troubles
.
Grace
would
have
let
her
quietly
cry
it
out
.
Rachel’s
remedies
and
incoherent
protestations
of
all
being
her
own
fault
only
made
things
worse
,
and
perhaps
those
ten
minutes
were
the
most
overwhelming
of
all
the
griefs
that
Rachel
had
brought
on
herself
.
However
,
what
with
Miss
Wellwood’s
soothing
,
and
her
own
sense
of
the
becoming
,
Mrs.
Curtis
struggled
herself
into
composure
again
by
the
time
the
maid
came
to
dress
them
for
dinner
;
Rachel
all
the
while
longing
for
Grace’s
return
,
not
so
much
for
the
sake
of
hearing
the
verdict
,
as
of
knowing
whether
the
mother
ought
to
be
allowed
to
go
down
to
dinner
,
so
shaken
did
she
look
;
for
indeed
,
besides
her
distress
for
her
daughter
,
no
small
ingredient
in
her
agitation
was
this
recurrence
to
a
stated
custom
of
her
husband’s
magisterial
days
.
Persuasion
was
unavailing
.
At
any
cost
the
Curtis
family
must
present
an
unassailable
front
to
the
public
eye
,
and
if
Mrs.
Curtis
had
forced
forward
her
much
tried
and
suffering
daughter
,
far
more
would
she
persist
in
devoting
herself
to
gaiety
and
indifference
,
but
her
nervousness
was
exceeding
,
and
betrayed
itself
in
a
continual
wearying
for
Grace
,
without
whom
neither
her
own
dress
nor
Rachel’s
could
be
arranged
to
her
satisfaction
,
and
she
was
absolutely
incapable
of
not
worrying
Rachel
about
every
fold
,
every
plait
,
every
bow
,
in
a
manner
that
from
any
one
else
would
have
been
unbearable
;
but
those
tears
had
frightened
Rachel
into
a
penitent
submission
that
endured
with
an
absolute
semblance
of
cheerfulness
each
of
these
torments
.
The
languor
and
exhaustion
had
been
driven
away
,
and
feverish
excitement
had
set
in
,
not
so
much
from
the
spirit
of
defiance
that
the
two
elder
ladies
had
expected
to
excite
,
as
from
the
having
been
goaded
into
a
reckless
determination
to
sustain
her
part
.
No
matter
for
the
rest
.
It
often
happened
in
these
parties
that
the
ladies
would
come
in
from
the
country
in
reasonable
time
,
while
their
lords
would
be
detained
much
later
in
court
,
so
when
the
cathedral
clock
had
given
notice
of
the
half-hour
,
Mrs.
Curtis
began
to
pick
up
fan
and
handkerchief
,
and
prepare
to
descend
.
Rachel
suggested
there
would
be
no
occasion
so
to
do
till
Grace’s
return
,
since
it
was
plain
that
no
one
could
yet
be
released
.
“
Yes
,
my
dear
,
but
perhaps
—
don’t
you
think
it
might
be
remarked
as
if
you
chose
to
keep
out
of
sight
?
”
“
Oh
,
very
well
.
”
Rachel
followed
her
mother
down
,
sustained
by
one
hope
,
that
Captain
Keith
would
be
there
.
No
;
the
Deanery
did
not
greatly
patronize
the
barracks
;
there
was
not
much
chance
of
any
gentleman
under
forty
,
except
,
perhaps
,
in
the
evening
.
And
at
present
the
dean
himself
and
one
canon
were
the
entire
gentleman
element
among
some
dozen
ladies
.
Everybody
knew
that
the
cause
of
delay
was
the
trial
of
the
cruel
matron
,
and
added
to
the
account
of
Rachel’s
iniquities
their
famished
and
weary
state
of
expectation
,
the
good
Dean
gyrating
among
the
groups
,
trying
to
make
conversation
,
which
every
one
felt
too
fretful
and
too
hungry
to
sustain
with
spirit
.
Rachel
sat
it
out
,
trying
to
talk
whenever
she
saw
her
mother’s
anxious
eyes
upon
her
,
but
failing
in
finding
anything
to
say
,
and
much
doubting
whether
her
neighbours
liked
talking
to
her
.
At
last
gentlemen
began
to
appear
in
twos
and
threes
,
and
each
made
some
confidence
to
the
womankind
that
first
absorbed
him
,
but
no
one
came
in
Rachel’s
way
,
and
the
girl
beside
her
became
too
unfeignedly
curious
to
support
even
the
semblance
of
conversation
,
but
listened
for
scraps
of
intelligence
.
Something
was
flying
about
respecting
“
a
gentleman
who
came
down
by
the
train
,
”
and
something
about
“
Lady
Temple
”
and
“
admirable
,
”
and
the
young
lady
seized
the
first
opportunity
of
deserting
Rachel
,
and
plunging
into
the
melee
.
Rachel
sat
on
,
sick
with
suspense
,
feeling
utterly
unable
to
quit
her
seat
.
Still
they
waited
,
the
whole
of
the
party
were
not
arrived
,
and
here
was
the
curfew
ringing
,
and
that
at
the
Deanery
,
which
always
felt
injured
if
it
were
seven
o’clock
before
people
were
in
the
dining-room
!
Grace
must
be
upstairs
dressing
,
but
to
reach
her
was
impossible
!
At
last
Mr.
Grey
was
announced
,
and
he
had
mercy
upon
Rachel
;
he
came
up
to
her
as
soon
as
he
could
without
making
her
remarkable
,
and
told
her
the
cause
of
his
delay
had
been
the
necessity
of
committing
Mauleverer
upon
an
accusation
by
a
relation
of
Colonel
Keith
,
of
very
extensive
frauds
upon
Miss
Williams’s
brother
.
Rachel’s
illness
and
the
caution
of
the
Williamses
had
prevented
her
from
being
fully
aware
of
the
complication
of
their
affairs
with
her
own
,
and
she
became
paler
and
paler
,
as
she
listened
to
the
partial
explanation
,
though
she
was
hardly
able
as
yet
to
understand
it
.
“
The
woman
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Sentenced
to
a
year’s
imprisonment
with
hard
labour
,
and
let
me
tell
you
,
Rachel
,
you
had
a
most
narrow
escape
there
!
If
that
army
doctor
had
not
come
in
time
to
see
the
child
alive
,
they
could
not
have
chosen
but
have
an
inquest
,
and
no
mortal
can
tell
what
might
have
been
the
decision
about
your
homoeopathy
.
You
might
have
been
looking
forward
to
a
worse
business
than
this
at
the
next
assizes
.
”
Mr.
Grey
had
done
his
work
at
last
!
The
long
waiting
,
the
weary
constraint
,
and
at
last
the
recurrence
of
Lovedy’s
sufferings
and
her
own
share
in
them
,
entirely
overcame
her
.
Mists
danced
before
her
eyes
,
and
the
very
sensation
that
had
been
so
studiously
avoided
was
produced
by
her
fainting
helplessly
away
in
her
chair
,
while
Mr.
Grey
was
talking
to
her
.
To
be
sure
it
brought
deliverance
from
the
multitude
,
and
she
awoke
in
the
quiet
of
her
room
,
upon
her
bed
,
in
the
midst
of
the
despairing
compunction
of
the
mother
,
and
the
tender
cares
of
Grace
,
but
she
was
too
utterly
overdone
for
even
this
to
be
much
relief
to
her
;
and
downstairs
poor
Miss
Wellwood’s
one
desire
was
to
hinder
the
spread
of
the
report
that
her
swoon
had
been
caused
by
the
tidings
of
Mauleverer’s
apprehension
.
It
seemed
as
if
nothing
else
had
been
wanting
to
make
the
humiliation
and
exposure
complete
.
Rachel
had
despised
fainting
ladies
,
and
had
really
hitherto
been
so
superabundant
in
strength
that
she
had
no
experience
of
the
symptoms
,
or
she
might
have
escaped
in
time
.
But
there
she
lay
,
publicly
censured
before
the
dignitaries
of
her
county
for
moral
folly
,
and
entirely
conquered
before
the
rest
of
the
world
by
the
physical
weakness
she
had
most
contemned
.
Then
the
mother
was
so
terrified
and
distressed
that
all
sorts
of
comforting
reassurances
were
required
,
and
the
chief
object
soon
became
to
persuade
her
to
go
downstairs
and
leave
Rachel
to
her
bed
.
And
at
last
the
thought
of
civility
and
of
the
many
Mrs.
Grundys
prevailed
,
and
sent
her
downstairs
,
but
there
was
little
more
comfort
for
Rachel
even
in
being
left
to
herself
—
that
for
which
she
had
a
few
minutes
before
most
ardently
longed
.
That
night
was
perhaps
the
most
painful
one
of
her
whole
life
.
The
earnest
desire
to
keep
her
mother
from
uneasiness
,
and
the
longing
to
be
unmolested
,
made
her
play
her
part
well
when
the
mother
and
Grace
came
up
to
see
her
before
going
to
bed
,
and
they
thought
she
would
sleep
off
her
over-fatigue
and
excitement
,
and
yielded
to
her
desire
that
they
should
bid
her
good
night
,
and
leave
her
to
rest
.
But
what
sort
of
rest
was
it
?
Sometimes
even
her
own
personal
identity
was
gone
,
and
she
would
live
over
again
in
the
poor
children
,
the
hunger
and
the
blows
,
or
she
would
become
Mrs.
Rawlins
,
and
hear
herself
sentenced
for
the
savage
cruelty
,
or
she
would
actually
stand
in
court
under
sentence
for
manslaughter
.
Her
pulses
throbbed
up
to
fever
pitch
,
head
and
cheeks
burnt
,
the
very
power
to
lie
still
was
gone
,
and
whether
she
commanded
her
thoughts
or
lapsed
into
the
land
of
dreams
,
they
worked
her
equal
woe
.
Now
it
was
the
world
of
gazing
faces
,
feverishly
magnified
,
multiplied
,
and
pressing
closer
and
closer
on
her
,
till
she
could
have
screamed
to
dispel
them
;
now
it
was
her
mother
weeping
over
the
reports
to
which
she
had
given
occasion
,
and
accusing
herself
of
her
daughter’s
errors
;
and
now
it
was
Lovedy
Kelland’s
mortal
agony
,
now
the
mob
,
thirsting
for
vengeance
,
were
shouting
for
justice
on
her
,
as
the
child’s
murderer
,
and
she
was
shrieking
to
Alick
Keith
to
leave
her
to
her
fate
,
and
only
save
her
mother
.
It
would
hardly
be
too
much
to
say
that
the
positive
wretchedness
of
actually
witnessing
the
child’s
death
was
doubled
in
these
its
imaginary
repetitions
on
that
still
more
suffering
night
of
waking
dreams
,
when
every
solemn
note
of
the
cathedral
clock
,
every
resolute
proclamation
from
its
fellow
in
the
town
hall
,
every
sharp
reply
from
the
domestic
timepiece
in
the
Deanery
fell
on
her
ears
,
generally
recalling
her
at
least
to
full
consciousness
of
her
identity
and
whereabouts
,
and
dispelling
the
delusion
.
But
,
then
,
what
comfort
was
there
?
Veritably
she
had
caused
suffering
and
death
;
she
had
led
to
the
peril
of
Fanny’s
children
;
she
had
covered
her
mother
with
shame
and
grief
!
Nay
,
in
her
exaggerated
tone
of
feeling
,
she
imagined
that
distress
and
poverty
might
have
been
entailed
on
that
beloved
mother
.
Those
title
deeds
—
no
intelligence
.
Captain
Keith
had
taken
no
notice
.
Perhaps
he
heard
and
believed
those
degrading
reports
!
He
had
soul
enough
to
pity
and
sympathize
with
the
failure
of
extended
views
of
beneficence
;
he
despised
the
hypocrisy
that
had
made
charity
a
cloak
for
a
credulous
debasing
attachment
,
and
to
such
an
object
!
He
might
well
avoid
her
!
His
sister
had
always
bantered
her
on
what
had
seemed
too
absurd
to
be
rebutted
,
and
,
at
any
rate
,
this
fainting
fit
would
clench
his
belief
.
No
doubt
he
believed
it
.
And
if
he
did
,
why
should
not
every
one
else
whose
opinion
she
cared
for
:
Ermine
,
her
Colonel
,
even
gentle
Fanny
—
no
,
she
would
never
believe
any
harm
,
she
had
suffered
too
much
in
her
cause
.
Oh
,
for
simple
genuine
charity
like
Fanny’s
,
with
eyes
clear
with
innocence
and
humility
!
And
now
what
was
before
her
?
should
she
ever
be
allowed
to
hide
her
head
,
or
should
she
be
forced
again
to
brave
that
many-eyed
world
?
Perhaps
the
title-deed
business
would
prove
utter
ruin
.
It
would
have
been
acceptable
to
herself
,
but
her
mother
and
sister
!
Chastisement
!
Yes
,
it
was
just
chastisement
for
headstrong
folly
and
conceit
.
She
had
heard
of
bending
to
the
rod
and
finding
it
a
cross
,
but
here
came
the
dreadful
confusion
of
unreality
,
and
of
the
broken
habit
of
religious
meditation
except
as
matter
of
debate
.
She
did
not
know
till
her
time
of
need
how
deeply
sneers
had
eaten
into
her
heart
.
The
only
text
that
would
come
to
her
mind
was
,
“
And
in
that
day
they
shall
roar
against
them
like
the
roaring
of
the
sea
;
and
if
one
look
unto
the
land
,
behold
darkness
and
sorrow
,
and
the
light
is
darkened
in
the
heavens
thereof
.
”
Every
effort
at
prayer
or
at
calm
recall
of
old
thoughts
still
ended
in
that
desolate
verse
.
The
first
relief
to
these
miserable
dreams
was
the
cool
clear
morning
light
,
and
by-and-by
the
early
cathedral
bells
,
then
Grace’s
kind
greeting
made
her
quite
herself
;
no
longer
feverish
,
but
full
of
lassitude
and
depression
.
She
would
not
listen
to
Grace’s
entreaties
that
she
would
remain
in
bed
.
No
place
was
so
hateful
to
her
,
she
said
,
and
she
came
down
apparently
not
more
unwell
than
had
been
the
case
for
many
days
past
,
so
that
after
breakfast
her
mother
saw
no
reason
against
leaving
her
on
the
sofa
,
while
going
out
to
perform
some
commissions
in
the
town
,
attended
,
of
course
,
by
Grace
.
Miss
Wellwood
promised
that
she
should
not
be
disturbed
,
and
she
found
that
she
must
have
been
asleep
,
for
she
was
taken
by
surprise
by
the
opening
of
the
door
,
and
the
apologetic
face
of
the
butler
,
who
told
her
that
a
gentleman
had
asked
if
she
would
see
him
,
and
presented
the
card
of
“
Captain
Alexander
Keith
.
”
Eagerly
she
desired
that
he
should
be
admitted
,
tremulously
she
awaited
his
sentence
upon
her
mother’s
peace
,
and
,
as
she
thought
of
all
he
must
have
heard
,
all
he
must
believe
,
she
felt
as
if
she
must
flee
;
or
,
if
that
were
impossible
,
cower
in
shrinking
dread
of
the
glance
of
his
satirical
eye
!
Here
he
was
,
and
she
could
not
look
or
speak
,
nor
did
he
;
she
only
felt
that
his
clasp
of
greeting
was
kind
,
was
anxious
,
and
he
put
forward
the
easy-chair
,
into
which
she
sank
,
unable
to
stand
.
He
said
,
“
I
saw
your
mother
and
sister
going
into
the
town
.
I
thought
you
would
like
to
hear
of
this
business
at
once
.
”
“
Oh
yes
,
thank
you
.
”
“
I
could
not
see
the
man
till
the
day
before
yesterday
,
”
he
said
,
“
and
I
could
get
nothing
satisfactory
from
him
.
He
said
he
had
taken
the
papers
to
a
legal
friend
,
but
was
not
authorized
to
give
his
name
.
Perhaps
his
views
may
be
changed
by
his
present
condition
.
I
will
try
him
again
if
you
like
.
”
“
Thank
you
,
thank
you
!
Do
you
think
this
is
true
!
”
“
He
is
too
cunning
a
scoundrel
to
tell
unnecessary
lies
,
and
very
likely
he
may
have
disposed
of
them
to
some
Jew
attorney
;
but
I
think
nothing
is
to
be
feared
but
some
annoyance
.
”
“
And
annoyance
to
my
mother
is
the
one
thing
I
most
fear
,
”
sighed
Rachel
,
helplessly
.
“
There
might
be
a
mode
of
much
lessening
it
to
her
,
”
he
said
.
“
Oh
,
what
?
Tell
me
,
and
I
would
do
it
at
any
cost
.
”
“
Will
you
?
”
and
he
came
nearer
.
“
At
the
cost
of
yourself
?
”
She
thrilled
all
over
,
and
convulsively
grasped
the
arm
of
her
chair
.
“
Would
not
a
son
be
the
best
person
to
shield
her
from
annoyance
,
”
he
added
,
trying
for
his
usual
tone
,
but
failing
,
he
exclaimed
,
“
Rachel
,
Rachel
,
let
me
!
”
She
put
her
hands
over
her
face
,
and
cried
,
“
Oh
!
oh
!
I
never
thought
of
this
.
”
“
No
,
”
he
said
,
“
and
I
know
what
you
do
think
of
it
,
but
indeed
you
need
not
be
wasted
.
Our
women
and
children
want
so
much
done
for
them
,
and
none
of
our
ladies
are
able
or
willing
.
Will
you
not
come
and
help
me
?
”
“
Don’t
talk
to
me
of
helping
!
I
do
nothing
but
spoil
and
ruin
.
”
“
Not
now
!
That
is
all
gone
and
past
.
Come
and
begin
afresh
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
I
am
too
disagreeable
.
”
“
May
not
I
judge
for
myself
?
”
he
said
,
drawing
nearer
,
and
his
voice
falling
into
tremulous
tenderness
.
“
Headstrong
—
overbearing
.
”
“
Try
,
”
and
his
smile
overbore
her
.
“
Oh
no
,
no
,
nobody
can
bear
me
!
This
is
more
than
you
—
you
ought
to
do
—
than
any
one
should
,
”
she
faltered
,
not
knowing
what
she
said
.
“
Than
any
one
to
whom
you
were
not
most
dear
!
”
was
the
answer
,
and
he
was
now
standing
over
her
,
with
the
dew
upon
his
eyelashes
.
“
Oh
,
that
can’t
be
.
Bessie
said
you
always
took
up
whatever
other
people
hated
,
and
I
know
it
is
only
that
—
”
“
Don’t
let
Bessie’s
sayings
come
between
us
now
,
Rachel
.
This
goes
too
deep
,
”
and
he
had
almost
taken
her
hand
,
when
with
a
start
she
drew
it
back
,
saying
,
“
But
you
know
what
they
say
!
”
“
Have
they
been
stupid
enough
to
tell
you
?
”
he
exclaimed
.
“
Confute
them
then
,
Rachel
—
dolts
that
can’t
believe
in
self-devotion
!
Laugh
at
their
beards
.
This
is
the
way
to
put
an
end
to
it
!
”
“
Oh
no
,
they
would
only
detest
you
for
my
sake
.
I
can’t
,
”
she
said
again
,
bowed
down
again
with
shame
and
dejection
.
“
I’ll
take
care
of
that
!
”
he
said
with
the
dry
tone
that
perhaps
was
above
all
reassurance
,
and
conquered
her
far
enough
to
enable
him
to
take
possession
of
the
thin
and
still
listless
hand
.
“
Then
,
”
he
said
,
“
you
will
let
me
take
this
whole
matter
in
hand
;
and
if
the
worst
comes
to
the
worst
,
we
will
make
up
to
the
charity
out
of
the
Indian
money
,
without
vexing
the
mother
.
”
“
I
can’t
let
you
suffer
for
my
miserable
folly
.
”
“
Too
late
to
say
that
!
”
he
answered
;
and
as
her
eyes
were
raised
to
him
in
startled
inquiry
,
he
said
gravely
,
“
These
last
weeks
have
shown
me
that
your
troubles
must
be
mine
.
”
A
hand
was
on
the
door
,
and
Rachel
fled
,
in
time
to
screen
her
flight
from
Miss
Wellwood
,
whom
Alick
met
with
his
usual
undisturbed
front
,
and
inquiries
for
Mrs.
Curtis
.
That
good
lady
was
in
the
town
more
worried
than
flattered
by
the
numerous
inquiries
after
Rachel’s
health
,
and
conscious
of
having
gone
rather
near
the
wind
in
making
the
best
of
it
.
She
had
begun
to
dread
being
accosted
by
any
acquaintance
,
and
Captain
Keith
,
sauntering
near
the
archway
of
the
close
,
was
no
welcome
spectacle
.
She
would
have
passed
him
with
a
curt
salutation
,
but
he
grasped
her
hand
,
saying
,
“
May
I
have
a
few
words
with
you
?
”
“
Not
Fanny
—
not
the
children
!
”
cried
Mrs.
Curtis
in
dismay
.
“
No
indeed
.
Only
myself
,
”
and
a
gleam
of
intelligence
under
his
eyelashes
and
judicious
pressure
of
his
hand
conveyed
volumes
to
Grace
,
who
had
seen
him
often
during
Rachel’s
illness
,
and
was
not
unprepared
.
She
merely
said
that
she
would
see
how
her
sister
was
,
substituted
Captain
Keith’s
arm
for
her
own
as
her
mother’s
support
,
and
hurried
away
,
to
encounter
Miss
Wellwood’s
regrets
that
,
in
spite
of
all
her
precautions
,
dear
Rachel
had
been
disturbed
by
“
a
young
officer
,
I
believe
.
We
see
him
often
at
the
cathedral
,
and
somebody
said
it
was
his
sister
whom
Lord
Keith
married
.
”
“
Yes
,
we
know
him
well
,
and
he
is
a
Victoria
Cross
man
,
”
said
Grace
,
beginning
to
assume
his
reflected
glory
.
“
So
some
one
said
,
but
the
Dean
never
calls
on
the
officers
unless
there
is
some
introduction
,
or
there
would
be
no
end
to
it
.
It
was
a
mistake
letting
him
in
to
disturb
Rachel
.
Is
your
mother
gone
up
to
her
,
my
dear
?
”
“
No
,
I
think
she
is
in
the
cathedral
yard
.
I
just
came
in
to
see
about
Rachel
,
”
said
Grace
,
escaping
.
Miss
Wellwood
intended
going
out
to
join
her
old
friend
;
but
,
on
going
to
put
on
her
bonnet
,
she
saw
from
the
window
Mrs.
Curtis
,
leaning
on
the
intruder’s
arm
,
conversing
so
confidentially
that
the
Dean’s
sister
flushed
with
amazement
,
and
only
hoped
she
had
mentioned
him
with
due
respect
.
And
under
that
southern
cathedral
wall
good
Mrs.
Curtis
took
the
longest
walk
she
had
indulged
in
for
the
last
twenty
years
,
so
that
Grace
,
and
even
Rachel
,
beholding
from
the
window
,
began
to
fear
that
the
mother
would
be
walked
to
death
.
But
then
she
had
that
supporting
arm
,
and
the
moral
support
,
that
was
infinitely
more
!
That
daughter
,
the
spoilt
pet
of
her
husband
,
the
subject
of
her
pride
,
even
when
an
enigma
and
an
anxiety
,
whom
she
had
lately
been
forced
to
think
of
as
“
A
maid
whom
there
were
few
to
praise
And
very
few
to
love
,
”
she
now
found
loved
by
one
at
least
,
and
praised
in
terms
that
thrilled
through
and
through
the
mother’s
heart
in
their
truth
and
simplicity
,
for
that
sincerity
,
generosity
,
and
unselfishness
.
It
was
her
own
daughter
,
her
real
Rachel
,
no
illusion
,
that
she
heard
described
in
those
grave
earnest
words
,
only
while
the
whole
world
saw
the
errors
and
exaggerated
them
,
here
was
one
who
sank
them
all
in
the
sterling
worth
that
so
few
would
recognise
.
The
dear
old
lady
forgot
all
her
prudence
,
and
would
hardly
let
him
speak
of
his
means
;
but
she
soon
saw
that
Rachel’s
present
portion
would
be
more
than
met
on
his
side
,
and
that
no
one
could
find
fault
with
her
on
the
score
of
inequality
of
fortune
.
He
would
have
been
quite
able
to
retire
,
and
live
at
ease
,
but
this
he
said
at
once
and
with
decision
he
did
not
intend
.
His
regiment
was
his
hereditary
home
,
and
his
father
