The savage fierceness of these words turned every eye in the court to the gallery, where Lady Lendrick sat, and where, with a pleasant smile on her face, she not only listened with seeming pleasure, but beat time with her fan to the rhythm of the well-rounded periods. A quivering of the lip, and a strange flattening of the cheek of one side, succeeded to the effort with which he delivered these words, and when he attempted to speak again his voice failed him; and after a few attempts he placed his hand on his brow, and with a look of intense and most painful significancy, bowed around him to both sides of the court and retired. “That woman, that atrocious woman, has killed him,” muttered poor Haire, as he hastened to the Judge's robing-room. “I am sorry, my dear, you should not have heard him in a better vein, for he is really eloquent at times,” said Lady Lendrick to her beautiful companion, as they moved through the crowd to their carriage. “I trust his present excitement will not have bad consequences,” said the other, softly. “Don't you think we ought to wait and ask how he is?” “If you like. I have only one objection, and that is, that we may be misconstrued. There are people here malicious enough to impute the worst of motives to our anxiety. Oh, here is Mr. Pemberton! Mr. Pemberton, will you do me the great favor to inquire how the Chief Baron is? Would you do more, and say that I am most eager to know if I could be of any use to him?” If Mr. Pemberton had no fancy for his mission, he could not very well decline it. While he was absent, the ladies took a turn through the hall, inspecting the two or three statues of distinguished lawyers, and scanning the living faces, whose bewigged expression seemed to blend the over-wise and the ridiculous in the strangest imaginable manner. A sudden movement in the crowd betokened some event; and now, through a lane formed in the dense mass, the Chief Baron was seen approaching. He had divested himself of his robes, and looked the younger for the change. Indeed, there was an almost lightness in his step, as he came forward, and with a bland smile said: “I am most sensible of the courtesy that led you here. I only wish my strength had been more equal to the occasion.” And he took Lady Lendrick's hand with a mingled deference and regard. “Sir William, this is my daughter-in-law. She only arrived yesterday, but was determined not to lose the opportunity of hearing you.” [Illustration: 178] “To have _heard_ me to-day was disappointment,” said the old man, as he raised the young lady's hand to his lips; “to see her is none. I am charmed to meet one so closely tied to me,--of such exquisite beauty. Ah, Madam! it's a dear-bought privilege, this candid appreciation of loveliness we old men indulge in. May I offer you my arm?”