At this point the crowd came in
useful.
"I am sure your ladyship does not wish a scene," said Mary,
speaking low. "The thing is done."
"The thing can be undone, and will be," retorted the countess in
the same tone. "You, you--"
"My wife, don't forget that, mother," said Lord C- coming between
them, and slipping Mary's hand on to his arm. "We are both sorry
to have had to go about the thing in this roundabout way, but we
wanted to avoid a fuss. I think we had better be getting away.
I'm afraid Mr. Hodskiss is going to be noisy."
The doctor poured himself out a glass of claret, and drank it off.
His throat must have been dry.
"And what became of Clementina?" I asked. "Did the naval
lieutenant, while the others were at church, dash up in a post-
chaise and carry her off?"
"That's what ought to have happened, for the whole thing to be in
keeping," agreed the doctor. "I believe as a matter of fact she
did marry him eventually, but not till some years later, after the
contractor had died."
"And did Mr. Hodskiss make a noise in the vestry?" I persisted.
The doctor never will finish a story.
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