Soon there came a stream of light through a chink in the door: it grew more strong, till at length it came in the room in a full blaze. Ruth gave a quick glance, and saw that it was not Mrs. Grey, but Mrs. Grey's maid.
"Miss Ruth," said the maid, "I am sent to bid you go down stairs: the first course is come out of the room, and Mrs. Grey bids me tell you to go down to see the sweet things. You are to go at once."
Poor Ruth! what did she feel then? She took hold of the maid's hand, and said,
"Oh, do not, do not let me go! pray do not let me go!"
"You must go, and go at once too, Miss Ruth," said the maid, as she drew her near the door. "You must come, miss. And see, here is James sent to take you down."
There was no help for it: down stairs she went, and soon she found that she was in the room. There she stood! full of shame and deep grief! And there was spread out each dish of sweets, just as she had left it—each dish spread out with as much care as if it had been right. The eyes of all were on Ruth—in vain did she try to shrink from their gaze.
There was a pause; then Mrs. Grey said, "Ruth, come here, and stand where all my friends can see you."
She came with slow step, her head bent down, and her eyes cast on the ground.
"I grieve to tell you, my friends," said Mrs. Grey, "that it is Ruth—that it is this child whom I love so much—that it is she who has made all this wreck."
There was a pause once more; and there stood Ruth! All had their eyes on her. At length Mrs. Grey said,