rdered him in real truth, you would not
have believed it."

"Because I love you, Phineas."

Then the key was again heard in the door, and Barrington Erle
appeared with the gaolers. The time was up, he said, and he had come
to redeem his promise. He spoke cordially to his old friend, and
grasped the prisoner's hand cordially,--but not the less did he
believe that there was blood on it, and Phineas knew that such was
his belief. It appeared on his arrival that Lady Laura had not at
all accomplished the chief object of her visit. She had brought
with her various cheques, all drawn by Barrington Erle on his
banker,--amounting altogether to many hundreds of pounds,--which
it was intended that Phineas should use from time to time for the
necessities of his trial. Barrington Erle explained that the money
was in fact to be a loan from Lady Laura's father, and was simply
passed through his banker's account. But Phineas knew that the loan
must come from Lady Laura, and he positively refused to touch it.
His friend, Mr. Low, was managing all that for him, and he would not
embarrass the matter by a fresh account. He was very obstinate, and
at last the cheques were taken away in Barrington Erle's pocket.

"Good-night, old fellow," said Erle, affectionately. "I'll see you
again before long. May God send you through it all."

"Good-night, Barrington. It was kind of you to come to me." Then Lady
Laura, watching to see whether her cousin would leave her alone for
a moment with the object of her idolatry, paused before she gave him
her hand. "Good-night, Lady Laura," he said.

"Good-night!" Barrington Erle was now just outside the door.

"I shall not forget your coming here to me."

"How should we, either of us, forget it?"

"Come, Laura," said Barrington Erle, "we had better make an end of
it."

"But if I should never see him again!"

"Of course you will see him again."

"When! and where! Oh, God,--if they should murder him!" Then she
threw herself into his arms, and covered him with kisses, though her
cousin had returned into the room and stood over her as she embraced
him.

"Laura," said he, "you are doing him an injury. How should he support
himself if you behave like this! Come away."

"Oh, my God, if they should kill him!" she exclaimed. But she allowed
her cousin to take her in his arms, and Phineas Finn was left alone
without having spoken another word to either of them.

CHAPTER LVI

The Meager Family