And he trained beautiful. I saw him on the
morning of the fight; and he was like a shining angel; it would have
done a lady's heart good to look at him. Ned went about like a
madman offering twenty to one on him: if he had lost, we should have
been ruined at this moment. And then to think of the police coming
just as he was finishing Paradise. I cried like a child when I heard
of it: I don't think there was ever anything so cruel. And he could
have finished him quarter of an hour sooner, only he held back to
make the market for Ned." Here Mrs. Skene, overcome, blew her nose
before proceeding. "Then, on the top of that, came what passed
betwixt you and him, and made him give himself up to the police.
Lord Worthington bailed him out; but what with the disgrace and the
disappointment, and his time and money thrown away, and the sting of
your words, all coming together, he was quite broken-hearted. And
now he mopes and frets; and neither me nor Ned nor Fan can get any
good of him. They tell me that he won't be sent to prison; but if he
is"--here Mrs. Skene broke down and began to cry--"it will be the
death of him, and God forgive those that have brought it about."
Sorrow always softened Lydia; but tears hardened her again; she had
no patience with them.
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