“I believe, my dear Esther,” said Lady Cecilia, “I believe we had better say no more; you had better inquire no further.”
“That must be a bad case which can bear no inquiry,” said Miss Clarendon; “which cannot admit any further question, even from one most disposed to think well of the person concerned—a desperately bad case.”
“Bad! no, Esther. It would be cruel of you so to conclude: and falsely it would be—might be; indeed, Esther! my dear Esther!——” Her husband’s eyes were upon Lady Cecilia, and she did not dare to justify Helen decidedly; her imploring look and tone, and her confusion, touched the kind aunt, but did not stop the impenetrable niece.
“Falsely, do you say? Do you say, Lady Cecilia, that it would be to conclude falsely? Perhaps not falsely though, upon the data given to me. The data may be false.”
“Data! I do not know what you mean exactly, Esther,” said Lady Cecilia, in utter confusion.
“I mean exactly what I say,” pursued Miss Clarendon; “that if I reason wrong, and come to a false conclusion, or what you call a cruel conclusion, it is not my fault, but the fault of those who do not plainly tell me the facts.”
She looked from Lady Cecilia to her brother, and from her brother to Lady Cecilia. On her brother no effect was produced: calm, unalterable, looked he; as though his face had been turned to stone. Lady Cecilia struggled in vain to be composed. “I wish I could tell you, Esther,” said she; “but facts cannot always—all facts—even the most innocent—that is, even with the best intentions—cannot always be all told, even in the defence of one’s best friend.”
“If this be the best defence you can make for your best friend, I am glad you will never have to defend me, and I am sorry for Helen Stanley.”
“Oh, my dear Esther!” said her aunt, with a remonstrating look; for, though she had not distinctly heard all that was said, she saw that things were going wrong, and that Esther was making them worse. “Indeed, Esther, my dear, we had better let this matter rest.”
“Let this matter rest!” repeated Miss Clarendon; “that is not what you would say, my dear aunt, if you were to hear any evil report of me. If any suspicion fell like a blast on my character you would never say ‘let it rest.’”