This is
the real truth of the matter as it occurred, my lord; and there's no more
behind it. Ripper has now told all he knows, just as fully as if he had
been put to torture."
Lord Hartledon remained with Pike some time longer, soothing the man as
much as it was in his power and kindly nature to soothe. He whispered a
word of the clergyman, Dr. Ashton.
"Father says he shall bring him to-night," was the answer. "It's all a
farce."
"I am sorry to hear you say that," returned Lord Hartledon, gravely.
"If I had never said a worse thing than that, my lord, I shouldn't hurt.
Unless the accounts are made up beforehand, parsons can't avail much at
the twelfth hour. Mother's lessons to me when a child, and her reading
the Bible as she sits here in the night, are worth more than Dr. Ashton
could do. But for those old lessons' having come home to me now, I might
not have cared to ask your forgiveness. Dr. Ashton! what is he? For an
awful sinner--and it's what I've been--there's only Christ. At times I
think I've been too bad even for Him. I've only my sins to take to Him:
never were worse in this world."
Lord Hartledon went out rather bewildered with the occurrences of the
morning. Thinking it might be only kind to step into the clerk's, he
crossed the stile and went in without ceremony by the open back-door.
Mrs. Gum was alone in the kitchen, crying bitterly.
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