d to kiss the
speaker.

"Can we not do something to help you?" said Mrs. Robarts. She would
not have spoken but that she perceived that Lady Lufton had completed
her appeal, and that Mrs. Crawley did not seem prepared to answer it.

"You have done so much to help us," said Mrs. Crawley. "The things you
have sent us have been very serviceable."

"But we mean something more than that," said Lady Lufton.

"I do not know what there is more," said Mrs. Crawley. "A bit to eat
and something to wear;--that seems to be all that we have to care for
now."

"But we were afraid that this coming trial must cause you so much
anxiety."

"Of course it causes anxiety;--but what can we do? It must be so. It
cannot be put off, or avoided. We have made up our minds to it now,
and almost wish that it would come quicker. If it were once over I
think that he would be better whatever the result might be."

Then there was another lull in the conversation, and Lady Lufton
began to be afraid that her visit would be a failure. She thought
that perhaps she might get on better if Grace were not in the room,
and she turned over in her mind various schemes for sending her away.
And perhaps her task would be easier if Mrs. Robarts also could be
banished for a time. "Fanny, my dear," she said at last, boldly, "I
know you have a little plan to arrange with Miss Crawley. Perhaps you
will be more likely to be successful if you can take a turn with her
alone." There was not much subtlety in her ladyship's scheme; but it
answered the proposed purpose, and the two elder ladies were soon
left face to face, so that Lady Lufton had a fair pretext for making
another attempt. "Dear Mrs. Crawley," she said, "I do so long to say a
word to you, but I fear that I may be thought to interfere."

"Oh, no, Lady Lufton; I have no feeling of that kind."

"I have asked your daughter and Mrs. Robarts to go out because I can
speak more easily to you alone. I wish I could teach you to trust
me."

"I do trust you."

"As a friend, I mean;--as a real friend. If it should be the
case, Mrs. Crawley, that a jury should give a verdict against your
husband,--what will you do then? Perhaps I ought not to suppose that
it is possible."

"Of course we know that it is possible," said Mrs. Crawley. Her voice
was stern, and there was in it a tone almost of offence. As she spoke
she did not look at her visitor, but sat with her face averted and
her arms akimbo on the table.