Elise did for a few minutes just before his death; but I have heard so much about him that I can scarcely persuade myself I never did see him." "They were both with him at last ?" "Yes.

Poor Lucia never saw him till then." "Tell me about it, please." She obeyed, and told all that had happened both within her own knowledge and at the jail, on the night of Christian's death and the day preceding it.

Her calmness was a little shaken when she had to refer to Clarkson's confession, though she did so very slightly, but she recovered herself and went on with her story, simply repeating for the most part what Lucia and Mrs.Bellairs had told her at the time.

When she had finished, Maurice remained silent.

He had shaded his eyes with his hand, and when, after a minute's pause, he looked up again to ask her another question, she saw that he had been deeply touched by the picture she had drawn.
But Bella was really doing her friends a double service by thus talking to Maurice.