again she told him all that she knew, explaining to him what his mother had suffered, making him perceive why she had removed herself out of his hands, and had leant on others for advice. And she told him also that though they still hoped that the jury might acquit her, the property must be abandoned.
'I will leave the house this night if you wish it,' he said.
'When it is all over, when she has been acquitted and shall have gone away, then let it be done. Mr. Mason, you will go with her; will you not?' and then again there was a pause.
'Mrs. Orme, it is impossible that I should say now what I may do. It seems to me as though I could not live through it. I do not believe it. I cannot believe it.'
As soon as she had exacted a promise from him that he would not go to his mother, at any rate without further notice, she herself went up stairs and found Lady Mason lying on her bed. At first Mrs. Orme thought that she was asleep, but no such comfort had come to the poor woman. 'Does he know it?' she asked.
Mrs. Orme's task for that night was by no means yet done. After remaining for a while with Lady Mason she again returned to Lucius, and was in this way a bearer of messages between them. There was at last no question as to doubting the story. He did believe it. He could not avoid the necessity for such belief. 'Yes,' he said, when Mrs. Orme spoke again of this leaving the place, 'I will go and hide myself; and as for her———'
'But you will go with her,—if the jury do not say that she was guilty———'
'Oh, Mrs. Orme!'
'If they do, you will come back for her, when the time of her of punishment is over? She is still your mother, Mr. Mason.'
At last the work of the night was done, and the two ladies went to their beds. The understanding was that Lucius should see his mother before they started in the morning, but that he should not again accompany them to the court. Mrs. Orme's great object had been,—her great object as regarded the present moment,—to prevent his presence in court when the verdict should be given. In this she had succeeded. She could now wish for an acquittal with a clear conscience; and could as it were absolve the sinner within her own heart, seeing that there was no longer any doubt as to the giving up of the property. Whatever might be the verdict of the jury Joseph Mason of Groby would, without doubt, obtain the property which belonged to him.
'Good-night, Mr. Mason,' Mrs. Orme said at last, as she gave him her hand.
'Good-night. I believe that in my madness I spoke to you to-night like a brute.'
'No, no. It was nothing. I did not think of it.'
