nce
of Mr. Walker,--at whose instance they would have committed almost
any sin practicable by a board of English magistrates, so great was
their faith in him; and she knew that she was bound to answer her
engagement. She had also another task to perform--that, namely,
of persuading him to employ an attorney for his defence; and she
was prepared with the name of an attorney, one Mr. Mason, also of
Silverbridge, who had been recommended to her by Mr. Walker. But when
she came to the performance of these two tasks on the Monday morning,
she found that she was unable to accomplish either of them. Mr
Crawley first declared that he would have nothing to do with any
attorney. As to that he seemed to have made up his mind beforehand,
and she saw at once that she had no hope of shaking him. But when she
found that he was equally obstinate in the other matter and that he
declared that he would not go before the magistrates unless he were
made to do so,--unless the policeman came and fetched him, then she
almost sank beneath the burden of her troubles, and for a while was
disposed to let things go as they would. How could she strive to bear
a load that was so manifestly too heavy for her shoulders?

On the Sunday the poor man had exerted himself to get through his
Sunday duties, and he had succeeded. He had succeeded so well that
his wife had thought that things might yet come right with him,
that he would remember, before it was too late, the true history of
that unhappy piece of paper, and that he was rising above that half
madness which for months past had afflicted him. On the Sunday
evening, when he was tired with his work, she thought it best to say
nothing to him about the magistrates and the business of Thursday.
But on Monday morning she commenced her task, feeling that she owed
it to Mr. Walker to lose no more time. He was very decided in his
manners and made her to understand that he would employ no lawyer
on his own behalf. "Why should I want a lawyer? I have done nothing
wrong," he said. Then she tried to make him understand that many who
may have done nothing wrong require a lawyer's aid. "And who is to
pay him?" he asked. To this she replied, unfortunately, that there
would be no need of thinking of that at once. "And I am to get
further into debt!" he said. "I am to put myself right before the
world by incurring debts which I know I can never pay? When it has
been a question of food for the children I have been we