After he was gone Miss Armstrong sat musing over what she had heard. The idea that any annoyance should happen to the Solitary, growing out of a circumstance with which she was in some manner connected, distressed her exceedingly, and, dissatisfied with the meagre statement of the doctor, she determined to go over to Judge Bernard's, to try to procure more satisfactory information.
"He will, at least," she said, "be better acquainted with the law than
Doctor Elmer, and there is no favor he will refuse me."
But the Judge was unable to add anything of importance. He had heard the same rumors, but could not vouch for their truth. With regard to the issuing of a warrant for such a cause, he could not say but that persons might be found malignant enough to get one out, and justices of the peace foolish and ignorant enough to be made their instruments, but if it came to the worst, the penalty could only be a fine, which he would gladly pay himself.
"He cannot be imprisoned then?" inquired Miss Armstrong.
"No; they would not dare," he said, to himself in a tone so low that Faith could catch only a word or two here and there, "send him—disorderly—no settlement—no, no—too bad—might be done. No, Faith," he said, "you need anticipate no serious trouble about your protégé."
"Cannot we prevent his being arrested? It would mortify him exceedingly."
"For that, perhaps, there is no remedy, but we will see. We are all equally amenable to the laws. But after all, the thing may not be noticed. These may be only rumors put out by some mischievous person to keep Holden away from the village."
"They can have no such effect."
"No: and yet the rogue who invents them may think they will."
"I should not be at all anxious, Faith," said Anne. "Here are my father, and yours, and my chivalrous brother, and—"