bil. They both treated her as a superior being; and if, instead of
the daughter of a lowly prisoner and herself a prisoner, she had been
the noble child of a captive minister of state, they could not have
extended to her a more humble and even delicate solicitude.

It had not yet struck seven, and the wife of the inspector suddenly
stopping and listening, said, "They are stirring early:" and then, after
a moment's pause, she opened the door, at which she stood for some time
endeavouring to catch the meaning of the mysterious sounds. She looked
back at Sybil, and saying, "Hush, I shall be back directly," she
withdrew, shutting the door.

In little more than two hours, as Sybil had been informed, she would be
summoned to her examination. It was a sickening thought. Hope vanished
as the catastrophe advanced. She almost accused herself for having
without authority sought out her father; it had been as regarded him
a fruitless mission, and, by its results on her, had aggravated his
present sorrows and perplexities. Her mind again recurred to him whose
counsel had indirectly prompted her rash step, and to whose aid in her
infinite hopelessness she had appealed. The woman who had all this time
been only standing on the landing-place without the door, now re-entered
with a puzzled and curious air, saying, "I cannot make it out; some one
has arrived."

"Some one has arrived." Simple yet agitating words. "Is it unusual,"
enquired Sybil in a trembling tone, "for persons to arrive at this
hour?"

"Yes," said the wife of the inspector. "They never bring them from the
stations until the office opens. I cannot make it out. Hush!" and at
this moment some one tapped at the door.

The woman returned to the door and reopened it, and some words were
spoken which did not reach Sybil, whose heart beat violently as a wild
thought rushed over her mind. The suspense was so intolerable, her
agitation so great, that she was on the point of advancing and asking
if--when the door was shut and she was again left alone. She threw
herself on the bed. It seemed to her that she had lost all control over
her intelligence. All thought and feeling merged in that deep suspense
when the order of our being seems to stop and quiver as it were upon its
axis.

The woman returned; her countenance was glad. Perceiving the agitation
of Sybil, she said, "You may dry your eyes my dear. There is nothing
like a friend at court; there's a warrant from the Secreta