ason's face. When she felt her son's hand
upon her arm her muscles had moved involuntarily; but she recovered
herself at the moment, and then went on enduring it all with absolute
composure. Nevertheless it seemed to her as though that man who stood
before her, telling his tale so calmly, had read the secrets of her
very soul. What chance could there be for her when everything was
thus known?

To every word that was spoken Felix Graham gave all his mind. While
Mr. Chaffanbrass sat fidgeting, or reading, or dreaming, caring
nothing for all that his learned brother might say, Graham listened
to every fact that was stated, and to every surmise that was
propounded. To him the absolute truth in this affair was matter of
great moment, but yet he felt that he dreaded to know the truth.
Would it not be better for him that he should not know it? But yet he
listened, and his active mind, intent on the various points as they
were evolved, would not restrain itself from forming opinions. With
all his ears he listened, and as he did so Mr. Chaffanbrass, amidst
his dreaming, reading, and fidgeting, kept an attentive eye upon him.
To him it was a matter of course that Lady Mason should be guilty.
Had she not been guilty, he, Mr. Chaffanbrass, would not have been
required. Mr. Chaffanbrass well understood that the defence of
injured innocence was no part of his mission.

Then at last Sir Richard Leatherham brought to a close his long tale,
and the examination of the witnesses was commenced. By this time
it was past two o'clock, and the judge went out of court for a few
minutes to refresh himself with a glass of wine and a sandwich. And
now young Peregrine Orme, in spite of all obstacles, made his way up
to his mother and led her also out of court. He took his mother's
arm, and Lady Mason followed with her son, and so they made their way
into the small outer room which they had first entered. Not a word
was said between them on the subject which was filling the minds of
all of them. Lucius stood silent and absorbed while Peregrine offered
refreshment to both the ladies. Lady Mason, doing as she was bid,
essayed to eat and to drink. What was it to her whether she ate and
drank or was a-hungered? To maintain by her demeanour the idea in
men's minds that she might still possibly be innocent--that was her
work. And therefore, in order that those two young men might still
think so, she ate and drank as she was bidden.

On their return to