d been each other's undoing,
might meet in the poetic torments of Dante's "Inferno," or the tangible
fire and brimstone of many a blind but honest Christian's hell. One
single instant,--and then Richard Brithwood made up his mind.

"Coachman, drive on!"

But the man--he was an old man--seemed to hesitate at urging his horses
right over "my lady." He even looked down on her with a sort of
compassion--I remembered having heard say that she was always kind and
affable to her servants.

"Drive on, you fool! Here"--and Mr. Brithwood threw some coin amongst
the mob--"Fetch the constable--some of you; take the woman to the
watch-house!"

And the carriage rolled on, leaving her there, crouched on the
kerbstone, gazing after it with something between a laugh and a moan.

Nobody touched her. Perhaps some had heard of her; a few might even
have seen her--driving through Norton Bury in her pristine state, as
the young 'squire's handsome wife--the charming Lady Caroline.

I was so absorbed in the sickening sight, that I did not perceive how
John and Ursula, standing behind me, had seen it likewise--evidently
seen and understood it all.

"What is to be done?" she whispered to him.

"What ought we to do?"

Here Maud came running out to see what was amiss in the street.

"Go in, child," said Mrs. Halifax, sharply. "Stay till I fetch you."

Lady Oldtower also advanced to the door; but catching some notion of
what the disturbance was, shocked and scandalised, retired into the
shop again.

John looked earnestly at his wife, but for once she did not or would
not understand his meaning; she drew back uneasily.

"What must be done?--I mean, what do you want me to do?"

"What only a woman can do--a woman like you, and in your position."

"Yes, if it were only myself. But think of the household--think of
Maud. People will talk so. It is hard to know how to act."

"Nay; how did One act--how would He act now, if He stood in the street
this day? If we take care of aught of His, will He not take care of us
and of our children?"

Mrs. Halifax paused, thought a moment, hesitated--yielded.

"John, you are right; you are always right. I will do anything you
please."

And then I saw, through the astonished crowd, in face of scores of
window-gazers, all of whom knew them, and a great number of whom they
also knew, Mr. Halifax and his wife walk up to where the miserable
woman lay.

John touched her lightly on the shoul