Mary’seyeshadfallenbeneaththatpenetratinggaze，inwhichtheagonyofmemoryseemedeveryminutetofindfullervent。“Isitadream？“themotheraskedatlastinalowvoice。“No!“repliedMary，inthesametone。MrsWilsonhidherfaceinthepillow。Shewasfullyconsciousofeverythingthismorning；itwasevidentthatthestunningeffectofthesubpoena，whichhadaffectedhersomuchlastnightinherweak，worn-outstate，hadpassedaway。Maryofferednooppositionwhensheindicatedbylanguidgestureandactionthatshewishedtorise。
Asleeplessbedisahauntedplace。WhenshewasdressedwithMary’shelp，shestoodbyAliceforaminuteortwo，lookingattheslumberer。“Howhappysheis!“saidshe，quietlyandsadly。AllthetimethatMarywasgettingbreakfastready，andperformingeveryotherlittledomesticofficeshecouldthinkof，toaddtothecomfortofJem’smother，MrsWilsonsatstillinthearm-chair，watchinghersilently。
Heroldirritationoftemperandmannerseemedtohavesuddenlydisappeared，orperhapsshewastoodepressedinbodyandmindtoshowit。MarytoldherallthathadbeendonewithregardtoMrBridgenorth；allherownplansforseekingoutWill；allherhopes；andconcealedaswellasshecouldallthedoubtsandfearsthatwouldariseunbidden。TothisMrsWilsonlistenedwithoutmuchremark，butwithdeepinterestandperfectcomprehension。WhenMaryceased，shesighedandsaid，“Ohwench!Iamhismother，andyetIdosolittle，Icandosolittle!That’swhatfretsme!
Iseemlikeachildasseesitsmammyill，andmoansandcriesitslittleheartout，yetdoesnoughttohelp。Ithinkmysensehasleftmeallatonce，andIcan’tevenfindstrengthtocrylikethelittlechild。“Hereuponshebrokeintoafeeblewailofself-reproach，thatheroutwardshowofmiserywasnotgreater；asifanycries，ortears，orloud-spokenwordscouldhavetoldofsuchpangsattheheartasthatlook，andthatthin，piping，alteredvoice!ButthinkofMaryandwhatshewasenduring。PicturetoyourselfforI
cannottellyouthearmiesofthoughtsthatmetandclashedinherbrain；
andthenimaginetheeffortitcosthertobecalm，andquiet，andeveninafaintway，cheerfulandsmilingattimes。Afterawhileshebegantostiraboutinherownmindforsomemeansofsparingthepoormotherthetrialofappearingasawitnessinthematterofthegun。Theyhadmadenoallusiontohersummonsthismorning，andMaryalmostthoughtshemusthaveforgottenit；andsurelysomemeansmightbefoundtopreventthatadditionalsorrow。ShemustseeJobaboutit；
nay，ifnecessary，shemustseeMrBridgenorth，withallhistruth-compellingpowers；for，indeed，shehadsostruggledandtriumphedthoughasadly-bleedingvictoratheartoverherselfthesetwolastdays，hadsoconcealedagony，andhiddenherinwardwoeandbewilderment，thatshebegantotakeconfidence，andtohavefaithinherownpowersofmeetinganyonewithapassablyfairshow，whatevermightberendingherlifebeneaththecloakofherdeception。Accordingly，assoonasMrsDavenportcameinaftermorningchurch，toaskafterthetwolonewomen，andshehadheardthereportMaryhadtogivesomuchbetterasregardedMrsWilsonthanwhattheyhadfearedthenightbeforeitwouldhavebeen——assoonasthiskind-hearted，gratefulwomancamein，Mary，tellingherherpurpose，wentofftofetchthedoctorwhoattendedAlice。Hewasshakinghimselfafterhismorning’sround，andhappyintheanticipationofhisSunday’sdinner；buthewasagood-temperedman，whofounditdifficulttokeepdownhisjovialeasinessevenbythebedofsicknessordeath。
Hehadmischosenhisprofession：foritwashisdelighttoseeeveryonearoundhiminfullenjoymentoflife。However，hesubduedhisfacetotheroperexpressionofsympathy，befittingadoctorlisteningtoapatient，orapatient’sfriendandMary’ssad，pale，anxiousface，mightbetakenforeithertheone，ortheother。“Well，mygirl!andwhatbringsyouhere？“saidhe，asheenteredhissurgery。
“Notonyourownaccount，Ihope。““IwantedyoutocomeandseeAliceWilson，——andthenIthoughtyouwouldmaybetakealookatMrsWilson。“Hebustledonhishatandcoat，andfollowedMary，instantly。AftershakinghisheadoverAliceasifitwasamournfulthingforonesopureandgood，sotrue，althoughsohumbleaChristian，tobenearingherdesiredhaven，andmutteringtheaccustomedwordsintendedtodestroyhope，andprepareanticipation，hewentincompliancewithMary’slooktoasktheusualquestionsofMrsWilson，whosatpassivelyinherarm-chair。Sheansweredhisquestions，andsubmittedtohisexamination。“Howdoyouthinkher？“askedMary，eagerly。“Why——a，“beganhe，perceivingthathewasdesiredtotakeonesideinhisanswer，andunabletofindoutwhetherhislistenerwasanxiousforafavourableverdictorotherwise；butthinkingitmostprobablethatshewoulddesiretheformer，hecontinued，“Sheisweak，certainly；thenaturalresultofsuchashockasthearrestofhersonwouldbe，——forIunderstandthisJamesWilson，whomurderedMrCarson，washerson。Sadthingtohavesuchareprobateinthefamily。““Yousay’whomurdered，’sir!“saidMary，indignantly。“Heisonlytakenuponsuspicion，andmanyhavenodoubtofhisinnocence——thosewhoknowhim，sir。““Ah，well，well!doctorshaveseldomtimetoreadnewspapers，andIdaresayI’mnotverycorrectinmystory。Idaresayhe’sinnocent；I’msureI
hadnorighttosayotherwise，——onlywordsslipout——Noindeed，youngwoman，Iseenocauseforapprehensionaboutthispoorcreatureinthenextroom；——weak——certainly；
butadayortwo’sgoodnursingwillsetherup，andI’msureyou’reagoodnurse，mydear，fromyourprettykind-heartedface，——I’llsendacoupleofpillsandadraught，butdon’talarmyourself——there’snooccasion，Iassureyou。““Butyoudon’tthinkherfittogotoLiverpool？“askedMary，stillintheanxioustoneofonewhowishesearnestlyforsomeparticulardecision。“ToLiverpool——yes，“repliedhe。“Ashortjourneylikethatcouldn’tfatigue，andmightdistractherthoughts。Lethergobyallmeans，——itwouldbetheverythingforher。““Oh，sir!“burstoutMary，almostsobbing；“Ididsohopeyouwouldsayshewastooilltogo。““Whew——“saidhe，withaprolongedwhistle，tryingtounderstandthecase；
but，being，ashesaid，noreaderofnewspapers，utterlyunawareofthepeculiarreasonstheremightbeforsoapparentlyunfeelingawish，——“Whydidyounottellmesosooner？Itmightcertainlydoherharminherweakstate!thereisalwayssomeriskattendingjourneys——draughts，andwhatnot。Tohertheymightproveveryinjurious，——very。Idisapproveofjourneysorexcitement，inallcaseswherethepatientisinthelow，flutteredstateinwhichMrsWilsonis。Ifyoutakemyadvice，youwillcertainlyputastoptoallthoughtsofgoingtoLiverpool。“Hereallyhadcompletelychangedhisopinion，thoughquiteunconsciously；sodesirouswashetocomplywiththewishesofothers。“Oh，sir，thankyou!Andwillyougivemeacertificateofherbeingunabletogo，ifthelawyersayswemusthaveone？Thelawyer，youknow，“continuedshe，seeinghimlookpuzzled，“whoistodefendJem，——itwasasawitnessagainsthim——““Mydeargirl!“saidhe，almostangrily，“whydidyounotstatethecasefullyatfirst？oneminutewouldhavedoneit，——andmydinnerwaitingallthistime。Tobesure，shecan’tgo，——itwouldbemadnesstothinkofit；
ifherevidencecouldhavedonegood，itwouldhavebeenadifferentthing。
Cometomeforthecertificateanytime；thatistosay，ifthelawyeradvisesyou。Isecondthelawyer；takecounselwithboththelearnedprofessions——ha，ha，ha。“Andlaughingathisownjoke，hedeparted，leavingMaryaccusingherselfofstupidityinhavingimaginedthateveryonewasaswellacquaintedwiththefactsconcerningthetrialasshewasherself；forindeedshehadneverdoubtedthatthedoctorwouldhavebeenawareofthepurposeofpoorMrsWilson’sjourneytoLiverpool。PresentlyshewenttoJobtheeverreadyMrsDavenportkeepingwatchoverthetwooldwomen，andtoldhimherfears，herplans，andherproceedings。Tohersurpriseheshookhishead，doubtfully。“Itmayhaveanawkwardlook，ifwekeepherback。Lawyersisuptotricks。““Butitisnotrick，“saidMary。“Sheissopoorly，shewaslastnightso，atleast；andto-dayshe’ssofadedandweak。““Poorsoul!Idaresay。IonlymeanforJem’ssake；andsomuchisknown，itwon’tdonowtohangback。ButI’llaskMrBridgenorth。I’lle’entakeyourdoctor’sadvice。Yotarryathome，andI’llcometoyoinanhour’stime。Goyourways，wench。“
chapter25CHAPTERXXVMRSWILSON’SDETERMINATIONSomethingtherewas，what，nonepresumedtosay，Cloudslightlypassingonasmilingday，——Whispersandhintswhichwentfromeartoear，Andmixedreportsnojudgeonearthcouldclear。CRABBE。Curiousconjectureshemayalwaysmake，Andeithersideofdubiousquestionstake。CRABBE。Marywenthome。Oh!howherheaddidache，andhowdizzyherbrainwasgrowing!Buttherewouldbetimeenoughshefeltforgivingwayhereafter。Soshesatquietandstillbyaneffort；sittingnearthewindow，andlookingoutofit，butseeingnothing，whenallatonceshecaughtsightofsomethingwhichrousedherup，andmadeherdrawback。Butitwastoolate。Shehadbeenseen。SallyLeadbitterflauntedintothelittledingyroom，makingitgaudywiththeSundayexcessofcolouringinherdress。ShewasreallycurioustoseeMary；herconnectionwithamurdererseemedtohavemadeherintoasortoflususnaturae，andwasalmost，bysome，expectedtohavemadeachangeinherpersonalappearance，soearnestlydidtheystareather。ButMaryhadbeentoomuchabsorbedthelastdayortwotonoticethis。NowSallyhadagrandview，andlookedheroverandoveraverydifferentthingfromlookingherthroughandthrough，andalmostlearntheroffbyheart：——“Herevery-daygownHoyle’sprintyouknow，thatlilacthingwiththehighbodyshewassofondof；alittleblacksilkhandkerchiefjustknottedroundherneck，likeaboy；herhairalltakenbackfromherface，asifshewantedtokeepherheadcool——shewouldalwayskeepthathairofherssolong；andherhandstwitchingcontinuallyabout——“SuchparticularswouldmakeSallyintoaGazetteExtraordinarythenextmorningatthework-room，andwereworthcomingfor，eveniflittleelsecouldbeextractedfromMary。“Why，Mary!“shebegan。“Wherehaveyouhiddenyourself？YounevershowedyourfaceallyesterdayatMissSimmonds’s。Youdon’tfancywethinkanytheworseofyouforwhat’scomeandgone。Someonus，indeed，wereabitsorryforthepooryoungman，asliesstiffandcoldforyoursake，Mary；
butweshallne’ercastitupagainstyou。MissSimmonds，too，willbemightyputoutifyoudon’tcome，forthere’sadealofmourning，agait。““Ican’t，“Marysaid，inalowvoice。“Idon’tmeanevertocomeagain。““Why，Mary!“saidSally，inunfeignedsurprise。“Tobesure，you’llhavetobeinLiverpool，Tuesday，andmaybeWednesday；butafterthatyou’llsurelycome，andtellusallaboutit。MissSimmondsknowsyou’llhavetobeoffthosetwodays。Butbetweenyouandme，she’sabitofagossip，andwilllikehearingallhowandaboutthetrial，wellenoughtoletyouoffveryeasyforyourbeingabsentadayortwo。Besides，BetsyMorganwassayingyesterday，sheshouldn’twonderbutyou’dprovequiteanattractiontocustomers。ManyaonewouldcomeandhavetheirgownsmadebyMissSimmondsjusttocatchaglimpseatyou，atafterthetrial’sover。Really，Mary，you’llturnoutquiteaheroine。“Thelittlefingerstwitchedworsethanever；thelargesofteyeslookeduppleadinglyintoSally’sface；butshewentoninthesamestrain，notfromanyunkindorcruelfeelingtowardsMary，butsolelybecauseshewasincapableofcomprehendinghersuffering。Shehadbeenshocked，ofcourse，atMrCarson’sdeath，thoughatthesametimetheexcitementwasratherpleasantthanotherwise；anddearlynowwouldshehaveenjoyedtheconspicuousnoticewhichMarywassuretoreceive。“Howshallyoulikebeingcross-examined，Mary？““Notatall，“answeredMary，whenshefoundshemustanswer。“La!whatimpudentfellowsthoselawyersareAndtheirclerks，too，notabitbetter。Ishouldn’twonder“inacomfortingtone，andreallybelievingshewasgivingcomfort“ifyoupickedupanewsweetheartinLiverpool。