"Caused by the blow or push of which
Betsy speaks."

"Then there was a blow or push?"

"I believe so."

"And who did it?"

"As there was no inquest, in consequence
of the doctor's opinion, I cannot tell you."

"But Miss Hale was there?"

No answer.

"And with a young man ? "

Still no answer. At last he said: " I tell
you mother, that there was no inquest—no
inquiry. No judicial inquiry, I mean."

"Betsy says that Woolmer (some man
she knows, who is in a grocer's shop out at
Crampton) can swear that Miss Hale was at
the station at that hour, walking backwards
and forwards with a young man."

"I don't see what we have to do with that.
Miss Hale is at liberty to please herself."

"I'm glad to hear you say so," said Mrs.
Thornton, eagerly. "It certainly signifies very
little to us—not at all to you, after what has
passed! but I — I made a promise to Mrs.
Hale, that I would not allow her daughter to
go wrong without advising and remonstrating
with her. I shall certainly let her know
my opinion of such conduct."

"I do not see any harm in what she did
that evening," said Mr. Thornton, getting up,
and coming near to his mother; he stood by
the chimney-piece with his face turned away
from the room.

"You would not have approved of Fanny's
being seen, out after dark in rather a lonely
place, walking about with a young man. I
say nothing of the taste which could choose
the time, when her mother lay unburied, for
such a promenade. Should you have liked
your sister to have been noticed by a grocer's
assistant for doing so ?"

"In the first place, as it is not many years
since I myself was a draper's assistant, the
mere circumstance of a grocer's assistant
noticing any act does not alter the character
of the act to me. And in the next place, I see
a great deal of difference between Miss Hale
and Fanny. I can imagine that the one may
have weighty reasons, which may and ought
to make her overlook any seeming
impropriety in her conduct. I never knew Fanny
have weighty reasons for anything. Other
people must guard her. I believe Miss Hale
is a guardian to herself."

"A pretty character of your sister, indeed!
Really, John, one would have thought Miss
Hale had done enough to make you
clear-sighted. She drew you on to an offer by a
bold display of pretended regard for you,—
to play you off against this very young man,
I've no doubt. Her whole conduct is clear to
me now. You believe he is her lover, I
suppose— you agree to that."

He turned round to his mother; his face
was very grey and grim. "Yes, mother. I
do believe he is her lover." When he had
spoken he turned round again; he writhed
himself about like one in bodily pain. He
leant his face against his hand. Then before
she could speak, he turned sharp again.

"Mother. He is her lover, whoever he is;
but she may need help and womanly counsel;
—there may be difficulties or temptations
which I don't know. I fear there are. I
don't want to know what they are; but as
you have ever been a good, ay, and a tender
mother to me, go to her, and gain her
confidence, and tell her what is best to be done.
I know that something is wrong; some
dread must be a terrible torture to her."

"For God's sake, John! " said his mother,
now really shocked, " what do you mean?
What do you know ? "

He did not reply to her.

"John! I don't know what I shan't
think unless you speak. You have no right
to say what you have done against her."

"Not against her, mother! I could not
speak against her."

"Well! you have no right to say what you
have done, unless you say more. These
half-expressions are what ruin a woman's
character."

"Her character! Mother, you do not
dare — " he faced about, and looked into her
face with his flaming eyes. Then, drawing
himself up into determined composure and
dignity, he said, " I will not say any more
than this, which is neither more nor less than
the simple truth, and I am sure you believe
me,—I have good reason to believe that Miss
Hale is in some strait and difficulty connected
with an attachment, which of itself, from my
knowledge of Miss Hale's character, is
perfectly innocent and right. What my reason
is, I refuse to tell. But never let me hear
any one say a word against her, implying any
more serious complication than that she now
needs the counsel of some kind and gentle
woman. You promised Mrs. Hale to be that
woman!"

"No!" said Mrs. Thornton. "I am
happy to say I did not promise kindness and
gentleness, for I felt at the time that it might
be out of my power to render these to one
of Miss Hale's character and disposition. I
promised counsel and advice such as I would
give, to my own daughter; I shall speak to
her as I would do to Fanny, if she had gone
gallivanting with a young man in the dusk.
I shall speak with relation to the
circumstances I know, without being influenced
either one way or another by the ' strong
reasons ' which you will not confide to me.
Then I shall have fulfilled my promise, and
done my duty."

"She will never bear it," said he
passionately.

"She will have to bear it, if I speak in her
dead mother's name,"

"Well! " said he, breaking away, " don't
tell me any more about it. I cannot endure
to think of it. It will be better that you
should speak to her any way, than that she