"And since one fine woman is shut up for life in that prison, you think
it a shame that another one should remain within its walls?"
I assented warmly.
"Now, then," remarked Miss Laniston, rising, "it is absolutely necessary
for me to go to the Frenchwoman, who, I know, is fuming for me, and
whose time is very precious. I shall be with you again in about twenty
minutes, and during that time I wish you would make up your mind with
whom you are in love,--Mother Anastasia or Sylvia Raynor. When that
point is settled, we will see what can be done."
It was a man of a bewildered mind who was left alone in that
drawing-room. I did not understand what had been said to me, but now
that ideas of this kind had been put into words, there seemed to be a
certain familiarity about them. How dared she speak to me in that way?
What ground had she for such words?
And yet--Sylvia was shut up for life in the House of Martha. I could not
gainsay that.
I could not put my thoughts into form, and with my mind in chaos I
strode up and down the room until Miss Laniston returned.
"What an uneasy person you are!" she said. "Have you settled that little
point?"
"Settled it! There is nothing to settle."
She laughed. "I am not so sure about that.
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