to the Carlyle vault, of
course,' It would have been different, you see, Madame Vine, if my lady
had died at home, all proper--Mr. Carlyle's wife. They'd have buried
her, no doubt, by her father, and the boy would have been laid with her.
But she did not."

No reply was made by Madame Vine, and a silence ensued; nothing to be
heard but that fleeting breath.

"I wonder how that beauty feels?" suddenly broke forth Wilson again, her
tone one of scornful irony.

Lady Isabel, her eyes and her thoughts absorbed by William, positively
thought Wilson's words must relate to him. She turned to her in
surprise.

"That bright gem in the prison at Lynneborough," exclaimed Wilson. "I
hope he may have found himself pretty well since yesterday! I wonder how
many trainfuls from West Lynne will go to his hanging?"

Isabel's face turned crimson, her heart sick. She had not dared to
inquire how the trial terminated. The subject altogether was too
dreadful, and nobody had happened to mention it in her hearing.

"Is he condemned?" she breathed, in a low tone.

"He is condemned, and good luck to him! And Mr. Otway Bethel's let loose
again, and good luck to _him_. A nice pair they are! Nobody went from
this house to hear the trial--it might not have been pleasant, you know,
to Mr. Carlyle; but people came in last night and told us all about
it. Young Richard Hare chiefly convicted him. He is back again, and so
nice-looking, they say--ten times more so than he was when quite a
young man. You should have heard, they say, the cheering and shouts that
greeted Mr. Richard when his innocence came out; it pretty near rose off
the roof of the court, and the judge didn't stop it."

Wilson paused, but there was no answering comment. On she went again.

"When Mr. Carlyle brought the news home last evening, and broke it
to his wife, telling her how Mr. Richard had been received with
acclamations, she nearly fainted, for she's not strong yet. Mr. Carlyle
called out to me to bring some water--I was in the next room with the
baby--and there she was, the tears raining from her eyes, and he holding
her to him. I always said there was a whole world of love between those
two; though he did go and marry another. Mr. Carlyle ordered me to put
the water down, and sent me away again. But I don't fancy he told her of
old Hare's attack until this morning."

Lady Isabel lifted her aching forehead. "What attack?"

"Why, madame, don't you know. I declare you