“I cannot venture to disturb him,” answered the servant. “Come at eight o’clock: master and missus will be up then.”
At this moment another window was opened, and a gentleman, who had evidently slipped on a dressing-gown in great haste, appeared at the casement, exclaiming, “I will see you now—at once!”
And in less than a minute the old woman was admitted into the dwelling by the gentleman who had thus addressed her.
Not a word was uttered,—merely hasty glances of recognition were exchanged, and those looks dubious on her part and reserved on his,—until they entered a parlour, the door of which the gentleman carefully closed, while his visitress sank exhausted upon a sofa.
“I am returned at last, Clarence,” she said, in a low and hoarse voice,—for she was now evidently much moved at finding herself in the presence of her relative, and by no means so confident as she had appeared to her daughter with regard to the reception she was likely to experience.
“Yes—returned, against my express desire—against the solemn promise that you sent me to remain in the colony if I procured your pardon!” exclaimed Mr. Villiers—for it was he—in a reproachful tone.
“Would you have had me bury myself in that horrible place of exile?” demanded his aunt—Mrs. Torrens, or Mrs. Slingsby, or whatever she now denominated herself.
“I would have had you keep your pledge so sacredly given,” replied Clarence; “and on my side I should have fulfilled my engagement by remitting you forty pounds every half-year. Why—why have you come back to England?”
“Because I would sooner die than remain in a colony where I have endured so much,” responded the woman.
“Yes—you have endured much indeed,” said Mr Villiers, still more bitterly than before: “but it has been your own fault. Do you remember the interviews I had with you in prison both prior and subsequent to your condemnation? Did you not exhibit every sign of the deepest contrition—utter every possible vow of amendment? And what were the results? Arrived in the colony, you became unruly—profligate—a perfect scandal where all is scandalous—shameless where every thing is shameful——”