第202章

'You have done so much to help us,' said Mrs Crawley. 'The things you have sent us have been very serviceable.'

'But we mean something more than that,' said Lady Lufton.

'I do not know what there is more,' said Mrs Crawley. 'A bit to eat and something to wear;--that seems to be all that we have to care for now.'

'But we were afraid that this coming trial must cause you much anxiety.'

'Of course it causes anxiety;--but what can we do? It must be so. It cannot be put off or avoided. We have made up our minds to it now, and almost wish that it would come quicker. If it were once over, I think that he would be better whatever the result might be.'

Then there was another lull in the conversation, and Lady Lufton began to be afraid that her visit would be a failure. She thought that perhaps she might get on better if Grace were not in the room, and she turned over in her mind various schemes for sending her away. And perhaps her task would be easier if Mrs Robarts also could be banished for a time.

'Fanny, my dear,' she said at last, boldly, 'I know you have a little plan to arrange with Miss Crawley. Perhaps you will be more likely to be successful if you can take a turn with her alone.' There was not much subtlety in her ladyship's scheme; but it answered the proposed purpose, and the two elder ladies were soon left face to face, so that Lady Lufton had a fair pretext for making another attempt. 'Dear Mrs Crawley,' she said, 'I do so long to say a word to you, but I fear that I may be thought to interfere.'

'Oh, no, Lady Lufton; I have no feeling of that kind.'

'I have asked your daughter and Mrs Robarts to go out because I can speak to you more easily alone. I wish I could teach you to trust me.'

'I do trust you.'

'As a friend, I mean;--as a real friend. If it should be the case, Mrs Crawley, that a jury should give a verdict against your husband--what will you do then? Perhaps I should not suppose that it is possible.'

'Of course we know that it is possible,' said Mrs Crawley. Her voice was stern, and there was in it a tone almost of offence. As she spoke she did not look at her visitor, but sat with her face averted and her arms akimbo on the table.

'Yes;--it is possible,' said Lady Lufton. 'I suppose there is not one in the county who does not truly wish it may not be so. But it is right to be prepared for all alternatives. In such case have you thought what you will do?'

'I do not know what they would do to him,' said she.

'I suppose that for some time he would be--'

'Put in prison,' said Mrs Crawley, speaking very quickly, bringing out the words with a sharp eagerness that was quite unusual to her. 'They will send him to gaol. Is it not so, Lady Lufton?'

'I suppose it would be so; not for long I should hope; but I presume that such would be the sentence for some short period.'

'And I might not go with him?'

'No, that would be impossible.'

'And the house, and the living; would they let him have them again when he came out?'

'Ah; that I cannot say. That will depend much, probably, in what these clergymen will report. I hope he will not put himself in opposition to them.'

'I do not know. I cannot say. It is probable that he may do so. It is not easy for a man so injured as he has been, and one at the same time so great in intelligence, to submit himself gently to such inquiries.

When ill is being done to himself or others he is very prone to oppose it.'

'But these gentlemen to not wish to do him ill, Mrs Crawley.'

'I cannot say. I do not know. When I think of it I see that there is nothing but ruin on every side. What is the use of talking of it? Do not be angry, Lady Lufton, if I say that it is of no use.'

'But I desire to be of use--of real use. If it should be the case, Mrs Crawley, that your husband should be--detained at Barchester--'

'You mean imprisoned, Lady Lufton.'

'Yes, I mean imprisoned. If it should be so, then do you bring yourself and your children--all of them--over to Framley, and I will find a home for you while he is lost to you.'

'Oh, Lady Lufton, I could not do that.'

'Yes, you can. You have not heard me yet. It would not be a comfort to you in such a home as that to sit at table with people who are partly strangers to you. But there is a cottage nearly adjoining to the house, which you shall have all to yourself. The bailiff lived in it once, and others have lived in it who belong to the place; but it is empty now and it shall be made comfortable.' The tears were now running down Mrs Crawley's face, so that she could not answer a word. 'Of course it is my son's property, and not mine, but he has commissioned me to say that it is most heartily at your service. He begs that in such a case you will occupy it. And I beg the same. And your old friend Lucy has desired me also to ask you in her name.'

'Lady Lufton, I could not do that,' said Mrs Crawley through her tears.