Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/410

"My dear, dear girl," said Mrs. Greville, who continued to weep bittterly, "indeed you must not urge me. My lips on this subject are sealed. That seal must not by me be broken."

A pause ensued: during which Mrs. Greville sat gazing at Henriette through her tears, which she would have concealed but could not.

"Henriette," she said at length, having struggled with her feelings until she appeared to have almost subdued them. "Henriette, will you do me a favour?"

"My dear Mrs. Greville," replied Henriette, "why ask me? You know not what pleasure it will give me to do anything for you, of which I am capable."

"I believe your dear father is still in the carriage."

"He is."

"Will you go to him, my dear girl, and tell him that I am anxious—most anxious—to see him for a few short moments?"

"It will give me great happiness to do so."

"Dear Henriette, tell him—pray tell him—that if he will but grant me this one request, I pledge my honour—aye, my honour—that it shall be my last."

Henriette kissed her, and flew from the room, and when the door of the carriage had been opened, she said, "Dear father, mamma—I feel, I know that it is mamma—"

"Henriette!" said Howard sternly, as he alighted.

He said no more, but handed her into the carriage, followed her, gave the word "Home!" and they were off.

From the evening Aunt Eleanor and her friend arrived in town till the day of the trial, nothing occurred to Sylvester worth recording. He invariably slept with Tom, who had procured a pair of manacles—with a thin chain attached—with which he every night secured him to himself, and although he very frequently rose in his sleep, the chain instantly checked and awoke them both.

"Dot a bit of it, old fellow," Tom used to exclaim. "You dod't do adythidg at all of the sort. You wadt to go prowlidg about as usual, do you? Cobe alodg id agaid: cobe—cobe alodg."

When Aunt Eleanor heard of this arrangement, she felt perfectly satisfied of Sylvester's safety; and so did the reverend gentleman, whose whole time was occupied in the conception of ideas, calculated in his view to strengthen the defence. He was to be a witness—a most important witness—and when Mr. Wilks, the solicitor, had taken down his