Volume Ii Part 59 (1/2)

”Give me what a friend can have in charge to do for you, and it shall be done.”

Fleda raised her head, and looked out of the window, in a silence of doubt. The carriage stopped at Mrs. Evelyn's.

”Not now,” said Mr. Carleton, as the servant was about to open the door ? ”drive round the square ? till I speak to you.”

Fleda was motionless and almost breathless with uncertainty.

If Charlton could be hindered from meeting Mr. Thorn ? but how could Mr. Carleton effect it? But there was that in him or in his manner, which invariably created confidence in his ability, or fear of it, even in strangers; and how much more in her who had a childish but very clear recollection of several points in his character which confirmed the feeling.

And might not something be done, through his means, to facilitate her uncle's escape? of whom she seemed to herself now the betrayer. But to tell him the story! ? a person of his high nice notions of character ? what a distance it would put even between his friends.h.i.+p and her ? but that thought was banished instantly, with one glance at Mr. Thorn's imputation of ungenerousness. To sacrifice herself to _him_ would not have been generosity ? to lower herself in the esteem of a different character, she felt, called for it. There was time even then, too, for one swift thought of the needlessness and bitter fruits of wrong-doing. But here they were ? should she make them known, and trouble Mr. Carleton, friend though he were, with these miserable matters in which he had no concern?

She sat with a beating heart and a very troubled brow, but a brow as easy to read as a child's. It was the trouble of anxious questioning. Mr. Carleton watched it for a little while ? undecided as ever, and more pained.

”You said you trusted me,” he said quietly, taking her hand again.

”But ? I don't know what you could do, Mr. Carleton,” Fleda said, with a trembling voice.

”Will you let me be the judge of that?”

”I cannot bear to trouble you with these miserable things ?”

”You cannot,” said he, with that same quiet tone, ”but by thinking and saying so. I can have no greater pleasure than to take pains for you.”

Fleda heard these words precisely, and with the same simplicity as a child would have heard them, and answered with a very frank burst of tears ? soon, as soon as possible, according to her custom, driven back, though even in the act of quieting herself, they broke forth again as uncontrollably as at first. But Mr. Carleton had not long to wait. She raised her head again after a short struggle, with the wonted look of patience sitting upon her brow, and wiping away her tears, paused merely for breath and voice. He was perfectly silent.

”Mr. Carleton, I will tell you,” she began; ”I hardly know whether I ought or ought not” ? and her hand went to her forehead for a moment ? ”but I cannot think to-night ? and I have not a friend to apply to” ?

She hesitated; and then went on, with a voice that trembled and quavered sadly.

”Mr. Thorn has a secret ? of my uncle's ? in his power ? which he promised ? without conditions ? to keep faithfully; and now insists that he will not ? but upon conditions” ?

”And cannot the conditions be met?”

”No ? and, oh, I may as well tell you at once!” said Fleda in bitter sorrow; ”it is a crime that he committed” ?

”Mr. Thorn?”

”No ? O no!” said Fleda, weeping bitterly, ”not he” ?

Her agitation was excessive for a moment; then she threw it off, and spoke more collectedly, though with exceeding depression of manner.

”It was long ago ? when he was in trouble ? he put Mr. Thorn's name to a note, and never was able to take it up; and nothing was ever heard about it till lately; and last week he was going to leave the country, and Mr. Thorn promised that the proceedings should be entirely given up; and that was why I came to town, to find uncle Rolf, and bring him home; and I did, and he is gone; and now Mr. Thorn says, it is all going on again, and that he will not escape this time; and I have done it!” ?

Fleda writhed again in distress.

”Thorn promised without conditions?”

”Certainly ? he promised freely ? and now he insists upon them; and you see uncle Rolf would have been safe out of the country now, if it hadn't been for me” ?

”I think I can undo this snarl,” said Mr. Carleton, calmly.