"That will do," said the elder lady. "Here is Jovial at last! Why did you not come when I first rang?" she demanded of the negro, who now stood in the door. "I 'clare, mist'ess, I never heerd it de fust time, madam." "Keep your ears open in future, or it will be the worse for you! And now what excuse can you offer for disobeying my express orders, and not only admitting this creature to the house, but even bringing her to our presence?" demanded the lady severely. "I clare 'fore my 'vine Marster, madam, when Miss Nora come in de storm to de kitchen-door, looking so wild and scared like, and asked to see de young madam dere, I t'ought in my soul how she had some news of de young marster to tell! an' dat was de why I denounced her into dis drawin'-room." "Do not make such a mistake again! if you do I will make you suffer severely for it! And you, shameless girl! if you presume to set foot on these premises but once again, I will have you sent to the work-house as a troublesome vagrant." Nora did not seem to hear her; she had relapsed into her stony, trance-like stupor. "And now, sir, since you took the liberty of bringing her in, put her out--out of the room, and out of the house!" said Mis. Brudenell. "Mamma! what! at midnight! in the snow-storm?" exclaimed Lady Hurstmonceux, in horror. "Yes! she shall not desecrate the bleakest garret, or the lowest cellar, or barest barn on the premises!" "Mamma! It would be murder! She would perish!" pleaded the young lady. "Not she! Such animals are used to exposure! And if she and all like her were to 'perish,' as you call it, the world would be so much the better for it! They are the pests of society!" "Mamma, in pity, look at her! consider her situation! She would surely die! and not alone, mamma! think of that!" pleaded Berenice. "Jovial! am I to be obeyed or not?" sternly demanded the elder lady. "Come, Miss Nora; come, my poor, poor child," said Jovial, in a low tone, taking the arm of the miserable girl, who turned, mechanically, to be led away. "Jovial, stop a moment! Mrs. Brudenell, I have surely some little authority in my husband's house; authority that I should be ashamed to claim in the presence of his mother, were it not to be exercised in the cause of humanity. This girl must not leave the house to-night," said Berenice respectfully, but firmly. "Lady Hurstmonceux, if you did but know what excellent cause you have to loathe that creature, you would not oppose my orders respecting her; if you keep her under your roof this night you degrade yourself; and, finally, if she does not leave the house at once I and my daughters must--midnight and snow-storm, notwithstanding. We are not accustomed to domicile with such wretches," said the old lady grimly.