If Theobald and his wife had but known more the
world and of the things that are therein, they would have done
little harm to anyone. Selfish they would have always been, but not
more so than may very well be pardoned, and not more than other people
would be. As it was, the case was hopeless; it would be no use their
even entering into their mothers' wombs and being born again. They
must not only be born again but they must be born again each one of
them of a new father and of a new mother and of a different line of
ancestry for many generations before their minds could become supple
enough to learn anew. The only thing to do with them was to humour
them and make the best of them till they died- and be thankful when
they did so.
Theobald got my letter as I had expected, and met me at the
station nearest to Battersby. As I walked back with him towards his
own house I broke the news to him as gently as I could. I pretended
that the whole thing was in great measure a mistake, and that though
Ernest no doubt had had intentions which he ought to have resisted, he
had not meant going anything like the length which Miss Maitland
supposed. I said we had felt how much appearances were against him,
and had not dared to set up this defence before the magistrate, though
we had no doubt about its being the true one.
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