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“ Judge Corbet at home? Can I see him?” she asked of the footman, who at length answered the door.

He looked at her curiously, and a little familiarly, before he replied,

“Why, yes! He’s pretty sure to be at home at this time of day; but whether he’ll see you is quite another thing.”

“Would you be so good as to ask him? It is on very particular business.”

“Can you give me a card? your name, perhaps, will do, if you have not a card. I say, Simmons” (to a lady’s-maid crossing the hall), “is the judge up yet?”

“Oh, yes! he’s in his dressing-room this half-hour. My lady is coming down directly. It is just breakfast-time.”

“Can’t you put it off and come again, a little later?” said he, turning once more to Ellinor—white Ellinor! trembling Ellinor!