ron.

"Well, now. Of course you understand, Mrs. Jones--and I must explain
this to you to account for my questions. Of course you understand
that I am here as Sir Thomas's friend, to set certain matters right
for him if I can."

"I supposed as much as that, if you please, sir."

"And any questions that I may ask you, I ask altogether on his
behalf--on his behalf and on that of his wife, Lady Fitzgerald. I
tell you, that you may have no scruples as to answering me."

"Oh, sir, I have no scruples as to that. But of course, sir, in
anything I say I must be guided by--by--"

"By your own judgment you were going to say."

"Yes, sir; begging pardon for mentioning such a thing to the likes of
you, sir."

"Quite right; quite right. Everybody should use their own judgment in
everything they do or say, more or less. But now, Mrs. Jones, I want
to know this: you remember her ladyship's first marriage, I dare
say."

"Yes, sir, I remember it," said Mrs. Jones, shaking her head.

"It was a sad affair, wasn't it? I remember it well, though I was
very young then. So were you too, Mrs. Jones."

"Young enough, surely, sir; and foolish enough too. We were the most
of us that, then, sir."

"True, true; so we were. But you remember the man, don't you--her
ladyship's husband? Mr. Talbot, he called himself." And Mr.
Prendergast took some trouble to look as though he did not at all
wish to frighten her.

"Yes, I do remember him." This she said after a considerable pause.
"But it is a very long time ago, you know, Mr. Pendrergrass."

"A very long time. But I am sure you do remember. You lived in the
house, you know, for some months."

"Yes, I did. He was my master for three months, or thereabouts; and
to tell the truth, I never got my wages for those three months yet.
But that's neither here nor there."

"Do you believe now, Mrs. Jones, that that Mr. Talbot is still
alive?" He asked the question in a very soft voice, and endeavoured
not to startle her by his look as he did so. But it was necessary to
his purpose that he should keep his eye upon her. Half the answer to
his question was to be conveyed by the effect on the muscles of her
face which that question would produce. She might perhaps command
her voice to tell a falsehood, but be unable to command her face to
support it.

"Believe what, sir?" said she, and the lawyer could immediately
perceive that she did believe and probably knew that that man who had
called hims