d uneasily from Magdalen to Miss Garth,
and from Miss Garth back again to Magdalen.

"Pray oblige me by not pressing your request," he said. "It is surely
enough that you know the result of the instructions. Why should you
agitate yourself to no purpose by reading them? They are expressed so
cruelly; they show such abominable want of feeling, that I really cannot
prevail upon myself to let you see them."

"I am sensible of your kindness, Mr. Pendril, in wishing to spare me
pain. But I can bear pain; I promise to distress nobody. Will you excuse
me if I repeat my request?"

She held out her hand--the soft, white, virgin hand that had touched
nothing to soil it or harden it yet.

"Oh, Magdalen, think again!" said Norah.

"You distress Mr. Pendril," added Miss Garth; "you distress us all."

"There can be no end gained," pleaded the lawyer--"forgive me for saying
so--there can really be no useful end gained by my showing you the
instructions."

("Fools!" said Mr. Clare to himself. "Have they no eyes to see that she
means to have her own way?")

"Something tells me there is an end to be gained," persisted Magdalen.
"This decision is a very serious one. It is more serious to me--" She
looked round at Mr. Clare, who sat closely watching her, and instantly
looked back again, with the first outward betrayal of emotion which
had escaped her yet. "It is even more serious to me," she resumed, "for
private reasons--than it is to my sister. I know nothing yet but that
our father's brother has taken our fortunes from us. He must have some
motives of his own for such conduct as that. It is not fair to him, or
fair to us, to keep those motives concealed. He has deliberately robbed
Norah, and robbed me; and I think we have a right, if we wish it, to
know why?"

"I don't wish it," said Norah.

"I do," said Magdalen; and once more she held out her hand.

At this point Mr. Clare roused himself and interfered for the first
time.

"You have relieved your conscience," he said, addressing the lawyer.
"Give her the right she claims. It _is_ her right--if she will have it."

Mr. Pendril quietly took the written instructions from his pocket.
"I have warned you," he said--and handed the papers across the table
without another word. One of the pages of writing--was folded down at
the corner; and at that folded page the manuscript opened, when Magdalen
first turned the leaves. "Is this the place which refers to my sister
and myself?"