She had had bad moments--when, for instance, she had
been taken before the magistrates at Carlisle, when she found the police
in her house on her return from the theatre, and when Lord George had
forced her secret from her. But at each of these periods hope had come
renewed before despair had crushed her. Now it seemed to her that the
thing was done and that the game was over. This chief man of the London
police no doubt knew the whole story. If she could only already have
climbed upon some rock, so that there might be a man bound to defend her--
a man at any rate bound to put himself forward on her behalf and do
whatever might be done in her defence--she might have endured it!
What would she do now, at this minute? She looked at her watch and found
that it was already past one. Mrs. Carbuncle, as she knew, was closeted
up-stairs with Lucinda, whose wedding was fixed for the following Monday.
It was now Friday. Were she to call upon Mrs. Carbuncle for aid no aid
would be forthcoming unless she were to tell the whole truth. She almost
thought that she would do so. But then, how great would have been her
indiscretion if, after all, when the major should come, she should
discover that he did not know the truth himself! That Mrs.
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