Page:Gaskell--A dark night's work.djvu/253

242 “Oh, Mr. Livingstone, I can’t bear it!”

He let her alone, looking at her pitifully, as she twisted and wrung her hands together in her endeavour to regain the quiet manner she had striven to maintain through the interview. She looked up at him with a poor attempt at an apologetic smile:

“It is so terrible to think of that good old man in prison!”

“You do not believe him guilty!” said Canon Livingstone, in some surprise. “I am afraid, from all I heard and read, there is but little doubt that he did kill the man; I trust in some moment of irritation, with no premeditated malice.”

Ellinor shook her head.

“How soon can I get to England?” asked she. “I must start at once.”

“Mrs. Forbes sent out while you were lying down. I am afraid there is no boat to Marseilles till Thursday, the day after to-morrow.”

“But I must go sooner!” said Ellinor, starting up. “I must go; please help me. He may be tried before I can get there!”

“Alas! I fear that will be the case, whatever haste you make. The trial was to come on at the Hellingford Assizes, and that town stands first on the Midland Circuit list. To-day is the 27th of February; the assizes begin on the 7th of March.”