"Where?" he said, stopping and listening; so that it began to seem
possible to her that some such expedient might still be within her reach.

"It is to England," she said, thinking he meant to ask as to which
quarter of the world.

"Ah," he said, shaking his head, "I fear that it is impossible."

"But it is to set something right, which out of mere inadvertence, with
no ill meaning,"--No, no (she repeated to herself), no ill-meaning--none!
"Oh sir, for charity! tell me how I can find a way. There must--there
must be some way."

He was greatly moved by the sight of her distress. "I am but a stranger
here," he said; "I may be wrong. There are others who can tell you
better; but"--and he shook his head sadly--"most of us would be so
thankful, if we could, to send a word, if it were only a single word, to
those we have left behind, that I fear, I fear--"

"Ah!" cried Lady Mary, "but that would be only for the tenderness;
whereas this is for justice and for pity, and to do away with a great
wrong which I did before I came here."

"I am very sorry for you," he said; but shook his head once more as he
went away. She was more careful next time, and chose one who had the look
of much experience and knowledge of the place. He listened to her very
gravely, and answered yes, that he was one of the officers, and could
tell her whatever she wanted to know; but when she told him what she
wanted, he too shook his head. "I do not say it cannot be done," he said.