The New Magdalen

Lady Janet recovered herself as Horace spoke.

"I entirely agree with you," she said. "I ask, too, what are we to wait

for?"

Even Julian's self-possession failed him when his aunt repeated that

cruelly plain question. How would Mercy answer it? Would her courage

still hold out?

"You have asked me what you are to wait for," she said to Horace,

quietly and firmly. "Wait to hear something more of Mercy Merrick."

Lady Janet listened with a look of weary disgust.

"Don't return to _that!_" she said. "We know enough about Mercy Merrick

already."

"Pardon me--your ladyship does _not_ know. I am the only person who can

inform you."

"You?"

She bent her head respectfully.

"I have begged you, Lady Janet, to give me half an hour," she went on.

"In half an hour I solemnly engage myself to produce Mercy Merrick in

this room. Lady Janet Roy, Mr. Horace Holmcroft, you are to wait for

that."

Steadily pledging herself in those terms to make her confession, she

unclasped the pearls from her neck, put them away in their cases and

placed it in Horace's hand. "Keep it," she said, with a momentary

faltering in her voice, "until we meet again."

Horace took the case in silence; he looked and acted like a man whose

mind was paralyzed by surprise. His hand moved mechanically. His eyes

followed Mercy with a vacant, questioning look. Lady Janet seemed, in

her different way, to share the strange oppression that had fallen on

him. A vague sense of dread and distress hung like a cloud over her

mind. At that memorable moment she felt her age, she looked her age, as

she had never felt it or looked it yet.

"Have I your ladyship's leave," said Mercy, respectfully, "to go to my

room?"

Lady Janet mutely granted the request. Mercy's last look, before she

went out, was a look at Grace. "Are you satisfied now?" the grand gray

eyes seemed to say, mournfully. Grace turned her head aside, with a

quick, petulant action. Even her narrow nature opened for a moment

unwillingly, and let pity in a little way, in spite of itself.

Mercy's parting words recommended Grace to Julian's care: "You will see that she is allowed a room to wait in? You will warn her

yourself when the half hour has expired?"

Julian opened the library door for her.

"Well done! Nobly done!" he whispered. "All my sympathy is with you--all

my help is yours."

Her eyes looked at him, and thanked him, through her gathering tears.

His own eyes were dimmed. She passed quietly down the room, and was lost

to him before he had shut the door again.