He touched her on the shoulder; she jumped up with a start, and turned, growing a little pale as she confronted him. He, also, had an apprehensive look in his eyes--perhaps it was that that frightened her.
'Nothing has happened to Madge?' she said, quickly.
'No. But come over there to the shelter. I wish to show you a letter she has written.'
A few steps brought them to a sudden silence; it was like stepping from the outer air into a diving-bell.
'Nan, I want you to read this letter, and tell me if it is true.'
He gave it her; she read it; then slowly, very slowly, the one hand holding the letter dropped, and she stood there silent, her eyes downcast.
'Nan, I have loved you since the very first night I ever saw you. I tried to make believe that Madge was you; Madge herself has saved us from what might have happened through that desperate mistake. And you, Nan--you are free now--there is no one in the way--is it true what Edith says?'
'It isn't quite true,' said Nan, in a very low voice; and her fingers were making sad work with Madge's letter. 'I mean--if she means--what you can say--since the very first night that we met. But I think at least--it is true--since'--and here Nan looked up at him with her faithful eyes, and in them there was something that was neither laughing nor crying, but was strangely near to both--'since--since ever we parted at Como!'
'Poor Jack!' that was all Madge's cry. She did not care what arrangement was being got up by the parents and guardians interested. She did not want her fortune settled on herself. To her it did not matter whether the brewery was in Southampton or in Jerusalem. All her piteous appeal was that her dear Jack should be got out of prison; and the opinion that she had formed of the gross tyranny, and cruelty, and obstinacy of English law was of a character that dare not be set forth here.
'What is the use of it?' she would say. 'What good can it do except to keep people miserable?'
'My dear child,' the sighing and sorely-troubled mother would answer, 'the Vice-Chancellor has admitted that it can do no good. But the authority of the Court must be vindicated----'
'It is nothing but a mean and contemptible revenge?' exclaimed Madge.