With all this Durell had nothing to do. His office was plain. His accustomed duty lay before him,—seizure of the goods and custody of the offenders. He was grieved that his friend Aaron could not escape, though he was not one of the partners. Studley was again at hand to insist that Aaron was liable to fine or imprisonment for being found working on an exciseable product in unentered premises. The informer (for so he was) was very unwilling that Aaron should be permitted to return to his home for the night. He hoped to have seen him marched through the streets to some place of confinement. But Aaron’s peril was not such as could induce him to abscond; and he was dropped at his father’s door, after having given his promise to appear when summoned before the court. Studley need not have grudged him his home. There was little comfort in it. Before he had well finished his tale, the next morning, and before his father had well begun the series of reproaches which must be expected to follow, a messenger from the Court appeared, summoning, not only Aaron, but Le Brocq, to answer for drawing his kiln without notice, and Anna for an illicit adulteration of tea. Le Brocq replied only by flinging the summonses under the grate, and by a deep curse upon Durell. Anna, who had sunk into a chair, exclaimed, “O, father, why is he to blame? How has he wronged us?” “Never tell me that this is not all his doing;—or, at any rate, that be might not have prevented it all, if he had pleased. What is his office for,—what is his power worth,—if his best friends and his countrymen,— strangers that he ought to protect,—are to be persecuted in this manner?” “I will answer for it, he is more sorry for us than we are for ourselves: but he must do his duty, father.” “I should like to know what way of doing one’s duty would please my father,” observed Aaron. “Whatever may happen is sure to be somebody’s fault.” “Whose fault was it, pray, that my kiln was drawn without notice?” “O, father! Aaron! all this cannot be helped now. Do not let us quarrel now. We must think what must be done.” “We must go to prison,—that is clear,—unless my father can pay the fines,” said Aaron. “If anybody goes to prison, it must be you, Aaron. My first duty is to your mother, and my next to your sister, who has never been a disobedient child to me.” “Pray, father, don’t,” cried Anna. “Perhaps we may none of us have to go to prison.” Her voice faltered at the last dreadful word.