She took off her cloak and untied her bonnet, and sat down by the fire near Gher daughter. Mrs. St. John did not speak.
"Charlotte, I have been dreadfully shocked. You should not have allowed me to hear of this by accident. How did it happen?"
"You must ask Honour that."
"Was no one with him? Could no one hear his cries?"
"It seems not."
"Will you not give me the details, Charlotte?"
"I only know them from hearsay."
"But you--were--in the house at the time?"
"I was in the dining-room."
Mrs. St. John was evidently not inclined to be communicative. She sat looking at the fire, and Mrs. Darling stole surreptitious glances at her face, as she had recently done at Mr. Pym's; not that the face was very discernible in the increasing gloom of the November evening.