"Good gracious, no! And he is not going to be. The city magistrates won't do it; they will commit him for trial."
It was as if a whole pailful of cold water were pouring down now. "Oh, Frances, it cannot be true!"
"It is too true. Mr. Howard wrote this afternoon to tell papa that Charles was remanded back to prison, and would be committed in the morning. Papa went off at once to see about it, and mamma sent an excuse to the Dunfords. I was to have dined quietly with Grace and Mary this evening; and I heard all this when I arrived."
"And—is papa not back yet?" again gasped Adela.
"No; and mamma can hardly contain herself for uneasiness. For, of course, you see what this implies?"
Adela was not sure whether she saw it or not. She only gazed at her sister.
"It means that either Charles must suffer, or you, Adela, so far as can be gathered from present aspects. And the question at home is—can they allow him to suffer, even if he be willing, and the truth does not transpire in other ways?"
"To—suffer?" hesitated Adela.
"To stand his trial."
"Why does not Mr. Grubb stop all this?" angrily flashed Adela, in her sick tremor.