“Let me reassure you. Mrs. Ripley is perfectly safe,” repeated Hetzel.
“But then—then, why does he look like this?” pointing to Arthur, and laying a stress upon each syllable.
“Sit down,” said Hetzel, “and compose yourself; and he will tell you.”
To Arthur, “Now, Arthur, try to command your feelings, and tell Mrs. Hart all about it.”
As best he could, he told Mrs. Hart as much as was needful to make her comprehend the state of affairs.
Mrs. Hart was nervous enough at the outset. As Arthur’s story proceeded, her nervousness became more and more ungovernable. When she learned that Ruth had been carried off to prison, she cried, “Oh, take me to her at once. I must go to her at once. She must not be left alone there all night.”
“It would be impossible to obtain admittance at this hour,” said Hetzel.
But saying it did not suffice. Mrs. Hart insisted. “Oh, they would surely let me in. She—she will die if she is left there alone.”
Hetzel undertook to comfort her, and to bring her around to reason. Finally she was sufficiently calm to listen to the rest of what Arthur had to say.
His tale complete, Hetzel took up the sequel, explaining how they had tried to have her liberated on bail, how Mr. Flint was to visit Mr. Orson at Long Branch to-morrow night, and going on to express his assurance that in a week’s time at the furthest the storm would have blown over, and made way for calm and sunshine.