These words, few as they were, were too significant, and spoken with too evident sincerity to permit a doubt of their deep intensity and truth, and from that moment Arabella Wilmot looked upon the scheme of Johanna going in disguise to Todd's as quite settled so far as regarded the attempt. It was the result now only that had to be looked to.
"I will say no more, Johanna, except as regards detail. In that I may offer you advice."
"Oh, yes—yes, Arabella. Thankfully received advice, as well you know. What is it you would say?"
"That you ought to wait until the morning."
"And so perhaps lose precious hours. Oh, no—no. Do not ask me now to submit to any delays, Arabella."
"But if there be reason, Johanna?"
"Well, the reason, then—the reason?"
"I think that, if possible, it would be well to avoid the necessity of remaining a night at Todd's; and so if you go in the morning, you see, Johanna, you may have an opportunity before nightfall of making all the discoveries you wish, or of satisfying yourself that they are not to be made at all."
"It might be so, and yet—yet I almost think night will be the best time of all."
"But by waiting until to-morrow morning, Johanna, you will have both day and night."