Then his thoughts became more vague. He could not imagine what his uncle’s house would be like without Sophy as its mistress. There would be no one to chat to about his pictures, no one to whom he could bring the gossip of the little world of artists to which he had returned. As for the wandering, unsettled life he had been living the year before, he thought of it now with positive disgust. Yes; if Sophy were to go out of his life, she would leave a sad blank behind. He did not stop to consider on what a slender foundation he was thus constructing the future. Sophy was surprised at his silence, and glanced at him timidly. He seemed lost in reflection; then suddenly looking up, their eyes met. He was astonished that she looked so beautiful. He had never thought of her as pretty before; but indeed the tender light in her eyes, and the faint colour coming suddenly into her pale cheeks would have made a far plainer face seem fair. ‘Don’t you think we had better be going?’ said Hubert, in a gentle tone. ‘The court may be crowded; and we may find a difficulty in getting seats.’ Sophy rose and left the room without saying anything more. The fog detained the party from Highgate, so that when they reached the court it was with difficulty that Blake could find seats for his friends. To Sophy the scene was so new and strange, and the effect of the fog so bewildering, that in spite of the gas jets flaring here and there it was some time before she could make out anything distinctly. By degrees she distinguished the Judge in his ermine-trimmed gown, the City dignitaries in their robes of office, the officials of the court on their raised seats under the bench, and the empty jury-box. But the object which fascinated her was the high, spiked iron railing which surrounded a wide space in the centre of the court, facing the bench. That, she knew, was the dock. It was tenanted by one person, a woman, a forlorn-looking creature, with a dirty shawl thrown over her bare head. On either side of her, but a little behind, stood a policeman. For some minutes after Sophy and her companions took their seats, there was perfect silence in the building, so that they wondered what the reason could be. Then the voice of the Judge broke the stillness. ‘The sentence of the court is that you be kept in penal servitude for the period of seven years.’