shaking with fear of the approaching evil, she took her seat in the
largest drawing-room. There was still a little delay. Time was given to
Frank Greystock to get away, and to do so without meeting Lady Linlithgow
in the passage. The message was conveyed by Miss Macnulty to the servant,
and the same servant opened the front door for Frank before he delivered
it. Lady Linlithgow, too, though very strong, was old. She was slow, or
perhaps it might more properly be said she was stately in her movements.
She was one of those old women who are undoubtedly old women--who in the
remembrance of younger people seem always to have been old women--but on
whom old age appears to have no debilitating effects. If the hand of Lady
Linlithgow ever trembled, it trembled from anger. If her foot ever
faltered, it faltered for effect. In her way Lady Linlithgow was a very
powerful human being. She knew nothing of fear, nothing of charity,
nothing of mercy, and nothing of the softness of love. She had no
imagination. She was worldly, covetous, and not unfrequently cruel. But
she meant to be true and honest, though she often failed in her meaning,
and she had an idea of her duty in life. She was not self-indulgent. She
was as hard as an oak post, but then she was also as trustworthy. No human
being liked her; but she had the good word of a great many human beings.
At great cost to her own comfort, she had endeavoured to do her duty to
her niece, Lizzie Greystock, when Lizzie was homeless. Undoubtedly
Lizzie's bed, while it had been spread under her aunt's roof, had not been
one of roses; but such as it had been, she had endured to occupy it while
it served her needs. She had constrained herself to bear her aunt; but
from the moment of her escape she had chosen to reject her aunt
altogether. Now her aunt's heavy step was heard upon the stairs! Lizzie
also was a brave woman after a certain fashion. She could dare to incur a
great danger for an adequate object. But she was too young as yet to have
become mistress of that persistent courage which was Lady Linlithgow's
peculiar possession.