And the busy little man hurried off, and left Mr. Strafford with a new
uneasiness in his mind.

Mrs. Elton, who came in and out at intervals to see if Christian wanted
anything, made her appearance immediately after, and he took the
opportunity of leaving. He hurried straight to Mrs. Bellairs' house,
where he found the two friends but just arrived. Mrs. Costello was
preparing to start for the jail, but he contrived to give a hint to Mrs.
Bellairs, and they together persuaded her to take an hour's rest before
doing so.

Mrs. Costello had begged Mrs. Bellairs to tell Bella the secret which
she herself had just heard; and to do so without loss of time; but she
did not wish to be present, or to go through another agitating scene
that day. The two sisters, therefore, left her to rest, and to consult
with Mr. Strafford, while Bella, already excited and disturbed by the
revelations of the preceding day, heard this new and still more
surprising intelligence. It did not, certainly, take many minutes to
tell; but there was so much beyond the mere facts; so many recollections
of words or looks that had been passed by unnoticed at the time; so
much wonder at the courage with which both mother and daughter had faced
the cruel difficulties of their position, that it was nearly an hour
before the conversation ended, and they came back to their guests.




CHAPTER XVII.