e_ sign an agreement, sir! I never did such a thing in all my life.
Jubber would think himself insulted, if you only talked of his signing
an agreement with such as me or Jemmy."

"Better and better. Now, my third question refers to little Mary
herself. I will undertake to put it out of this blackguard's power ever
to lay a finger on her again--but I can only do so on one condition,
which it rests entirely with you to grant."

"I'll do anything to save her, sir; I will indeed."

"The condition is that you consent to Mr. Blyth's proposal; for I can
only ensure the child's safety on those terms."

"Then, sir, I consent to it," said Mrs. Peckover, speaking with a sudden
firmness of tone and manner which almost startled Mrs. Joyce, who stood
by listening anxiously. "I consent to it; for I should be the vilest
wretch in the world, if I could say 'no' at such a time as this. I will
trust my precious darling treasure to you, sir, and to Mr. Blyth; from
this moment. God bless _her,_ and comfort _me!_ for I want comfort badly
enough. Oh, Mary! Mary! my own little Mary! to think of you and me ever
being parted like this!" The poor woman turned towards the garden as she
pronounced those words; all her fortitude forsook her in an instant; and
she sank back in her chair, sobbing bitterly.

"Take her out into the shrubbery where the children are, as soon as she
recovers a little," whispered the rector to his wife, as he opened the
dining-room door.

Though Mr. Jubber presented, to all appearance, the most scoundrelly
aspect that humanity can assume, when he was clothed in his evening
uniform, and illuminated by his own circus lamplight, he nevertheless
reached an infinitely loftier climax of blackguard perfection when he
was arrayed in his private costume, and was submitted to the tremendous
ordeal of pure daylight. The most monstrous ape that could be picked
from the cages of the Zoological Gardens would have gained by comparison
with him as he now appeared, standing in the Rectory cloak-room, with
his debauched bloodshot eyes staring grimly contemptuous all about him,
with his yellow flabby throat exposed by a turn-down collar and a light
blue neck-tie, with the rouge still smeared over his gross unhealthy
cheeks, with his mangy shirt-front bespattered with bad embroidery
and false jewelry that had not even the politic decency to keep itself
clean. He had his hat on, and was sulkily running his dirty fingers
through the greas