I suppose you don't like to give me your confidence,or else I could arrange and draw up what will have to be said?""No.What I have to say must be spoken to the arbiter--to no one else.I am afraid I answered you impatiently just now.You must forgive me;if you knew all,I am sure you would.""Say no more,my dear lady.We will suppose you have some evidence not adduced at the trial.Well;you must go up and see the judge,since you don't choose to impart it to any one,and lay it before him.He will doubtless compare it with his notes of the trial,and see how far it agrees with them.Of course you must be prepared with some kind of proof;for Judge Corbet will have to test your evidence.""It seems strange to think of him as the judge,"said Ellinor,almost to herself.
"Why,yes.He's but a young judge.You knew him at Hamley,Isuppose?I remember his reading there with Mr.Ness.""Yes,but do not let us talk more about that time.Tell me when can I see Dixon?I have been to the castle already,but they said I must have a sheriff's order.""To be sure.I desired Mrs.Johnson to tell you so last night.Old Ormerod was dining here;he is clerk to the magistrates,and I told him of your wish.He said he would see Sir Henry Croper,and have the order here before ten.But all this time Mrs.Johnson is waiting breakfast for us.Let me take you into the dining-room."It was very hard work for Ellinor to do her duty as a guest,and to allow herself to be interested and talked to on local affairs by her host and hostess.But she felt as if she had spoken shortly and abruptly to Mr.Johnson in their previous conversation,and that she must try and make amends for it;so she attended to all the details about the restoration of the church,and the difficulty of getting a good music-master for the three little Miss Johnsons,with all her usual gentle good breeding and patience,though no one can tell how her heart and imagination were full of the coming interview with poor old Dixon.
By-and-by Mr.Johnson was called out of the room to see Mr.Ormerod,and receive the order of admission from him.Ellinor clasped her hands tight together as she listened with apparent composure to Mrs Johnson's never-ending praise of the Hullah system.But when Mr.
Johnson returned,she could not help interrupting her eulogy,and saying -"Then I may go now?"Yes,the order was there--she might go,and Mr.Johnson would accompany her,to see that she met with no difficulty or obstacle.
As they walked thither,he told her that some one--a turnkey,or some one--would have to be present at the interview;that such was always the rule in the case of condemned prisoners;but that if this third person was "obliging,"he would keep out of earshot.Mr.Johnson quietly took care to see that the turnkey who accompanied Ellinor was "obliging."The man took her across high-walled courts,along stone corridors,and through many locked doors,before they came to the condemned cells.
"I've had three at a time in here,"said he,unlocking the final door,"after Judge Morton had been here.We always called him the 'Hanging Judge.'But its five years since he died,and now there's never more than one in at a time;though once it was a woman for poisoning her husband.Mary Jones was her name."The stone passage out of which the cells opened was light,and bare,and scrupulously clean.Over each door was a small barred window,and an outer window of the same deion was placed high up in the cell,which the turnkey now opened.
Old Abraham Dixon was sitting on the side of his bed,doing nothing.
His head was bent,his frame sunk,and he did not seem to care to turn round and see who it was that entered.
Ellinor tried to keep down her sobs while the man went up to him,and laying his hand on his shoulder,and lightly shaking him,he said:
"Here's a friend come to see you,Dixon."Then,turning to Ellinor,he added,"There's some as takes it in this kind o'stunned way,while others are as restless as a wild beast in a cage,after they're sentenced."And then he withdrew into the passage,leaving the door open,so that he could see all that passed if he chose to look,but ostentatiously keeping his eyes averted,and whistling to himself,so that he could not hear what they said to each other.
Dixon looked up at Ellinor,but then let his eyes fall on the ground again;the increasing trembling of his shrunken frame was the only sign he gave that he had recognised her.
She sat down by him,and took his large horny hand in hers.She wanted to overcome her inclination to sob hysterically before she spoke.She stroked the bony shrivelled fingers,on which her hot scalding tears kept dropping.
"Dunnot do that,"said he,at length,in a hollow voice."Dunnot take on about it;it's best as it is,missy.""No,Dixon,it's not best.It shall not be.You know it shall not--cannot be.""I'm rather tired of living.It's been a great strain and labour for me.I think I'd as lief be with God as with men.And you see,Iwere fond on him ever sin'he were a little lad,and told me what hard times he had at school,he did,just as if I were his brother!
I loved him next to Molly Greaves.Dear!and I shall see her again,I reckon,come next Saturday week!They'll think well on me,up there,I'll be bound;though I cannot say as I've done all as Ishould do here below.""But,Dixon,"said Ellinor,"you know who did this--this--""Guilty o'murder,"said he."That's what they called it.Murder!
And that it never were,choose who did it.""My poor,poor father did it.I am going up to London this afternoon;I am going to see the judge,and tell him all.""Don't you demean yourself to that fellow,missy.It's him as left you in the lurch as soon as sorrow and shame came nigh you."He looked up at her now,for the first time;but she went on as if she had not noticed those wistful,weary eyes.
"Yes!I shall go to him.I know who it is;and I am resolved.