e than sullenness?'

'True shame hides its face and confesses--sullen shame hides like Adam.
If hers had not been stubborn, it would have melted at your voice. She
must wait to hear it again, till she have learnt to crave for it.'

He looked so resolute that Phoebe durst plead no longer, but her heart
sank at the thought of the obstinate force of poor Bertha's nature.
Persistence was innate in the Fulmorts, and it was likely to be a severe
and lasting trial whether Robert or Bertha would hold out the longest.
Since he had captured her, however, all were relieved tacitly to give her
up to his management; and at dinner-time, on his stern assurance that
unless she would accept food, the door would be forced, she admitted some
sandwiches and tea, and desired to have her firing replenished, but would
allow no one to enter.

Robert, at Mervyn's earnest entreaty, arranged to remain over the Sunday.
The two brothers met shyly at first, using Phoebe as a medium of
communication; but they drew nearer after a time, in the discussion of
the robbery, and Robert presently found means of helping Mervyn, by
letter-writing, and taking business off his hands to which Phoebe was
unequal. Both concurred in insisting that Phoebe should keep her
engagement to the Raymonds for the morrow, as the only means of
preventing Bertha's escapade from making a sensation; and by night she
became satisfied that not only would the brothers keep the peace in her
absence, but that a day's _tete-a-tete_ might rather promote their good
understanding.

Still, she was in no mood to enjoy, when she had to leave Bertha's door
still unopened, and the only comfort she could look to was in the
conversation with Miss Charlecote on the way. From her, there was no
concealing what had happened, and, to Phoebe's surprise, she was
encouraging. From an external point of view, she could judge better than
those more nearly concerned, and her elder years made her more conscious
what time could do. She would not let the adventure be regarded as a
lasting blight on Bertha's life. Had the girl been a few years older,
she could never have held up her head again; but as it was, Honor
foretold that, by the time she was twenty, the adventure would appear
incredible. It was not to be lightly passed over, but she must not be
allowed to lose her self-respect, nor despair of regaining a place in the
family esteem.

Phoebe could not imagine her ever recovering the being thus