been impossible for him to show himself there.
But there had been his heart all the day. How had it gone with that
woman whom a few weeks ago he had loved so well that he had regarded
her as his wife?

"Was your mother very tired?" he said, again endeavouring to draw
near the subject.

"She did looked fagged while sitting in court."

"It was a dreadful task for her,--very dreadful."

"Nothing could have turned her from it," said Peregrine.

"No,--you are right there. Nothing would have turned her from it. She
thought it to be her duty to that poor lady. But she--Lady Mason--she
bore it better, you say?"

"I think she bears it very well,--considering what her position is."

"Yes, yes. It is very dreadful. The solicitor-general when he
opened,--was he very severe upon her?"

"I do not think he wished to be severe."

"But he made it very strong against her."

"The story, as he told it, was very strong against her;--that is, you
know, it would be if we were to believe all that he stated."

"Yes, yes, of course. He only stated what he has been told by others.
You could not see how the jury took it?"

"I did not look at them. I was thinking more of her and of Lucius."

"Lucius was there?"

"Yes; he sat next to her. And Sir Richard said, while he was telling
the story, that he wished her son were not there to hear it. Upon my
word, sir, I almost wished so too."

"Poor fellow,--poor fellow! It would have been better for him to stay
away."

"And yet had it been my mother--"

"Your mother, Perry! It could not have been your mother. She could
not have been so placed."

"If it be Lady Mason's misfortune, and not her fault--"

"Ah, well; we will not talk about that. And there will be two days
more you say?"

"So said Aram, the attorney."

"God help her;--may God help her! It would be very dreadful for a
man, but for a woman the burden is insupportable."

Then they both sat silent for a while, during which Peregrine was
engrossed in thinking how he could turn his grandfather from the
conversation.

"And you heard no one express any opinion?" asked Sir Peregrine,
after a pause.

"You mean about Lady Mason?" And Peregrine began to perceive that his
mother was right, and that it would have been well if possible to
avoid any words about the trial.

"Do they think that she will--will be acquitted? Of course the people
there were talking about it?"

"Yes, sir, they were talking about it. But I really do