elf Talbot was still alive.

"Do you believe, Mrs. Jones, that he is alive--her ladyship's former
husband, you know?"

The question was so terrible in its nature, that Mrs. Jones
absolutely shook under it. Did she think that that man was still
alive? Why, if she thought that what was she to think of her
ladyship? It was in that manner that she would have answered the
question, had she known how; but she did not know; she had therefore
to look about her for some other words which might be equally
evasive. Those which she selected served her turn just as well. "Lord
bless you, sir!" she said. It was not that the words were expressive,
but the tone was decidedly so. It was as though she said, "How can
that man be alive, who has been dead these twenty years and more?"
But nevertheless, she was giving evidence all the time against the
cause of her poor mistress.

"You think, then, that he is dead?"

"Dead, sir! Oh, laws! why shouldn't he be dead?" And then there was a
pause between them for a couple of minutes.

"Mrs. Jones," said Mr. Prendergast, when he had well considered the
matter, "my belief is that your only object and wish is to do good to
your master and mistress."

"Surely, sir, surely; it would be my bounden duty to do them good, if
I knew how."

"I will tell you how. Speak out to me the whole truth openly and
freely. I am here as the friend of Sir Thomas and of her ladyship. He
has sent to me that I may advise him what to do in a great trouble
that has befallen him, and I cannot give him good advice till I know
the truth."

"What good could it do him, poor gentleman, to know that that man is
alive?"

"It will do him good to know the truth; to know whether he be alive
or no. Until he knows that he cannot act properly."

"Poor gentleman! poor gentleman!" said Mrs. Jones, putting her
handkerchief up to her eyes.

"If you have any information in this matter--and I think you have,
Mrs. Jones--or even any suspicion, it is your duty to tell me."

"Well, sir, I'm sure I don't say against that. You are Sir Thomas's
friend to be sure, and no doubt you know best. And I'm a poor
ignorant woman. But to speak candidly, sir, I don't feel myself free
to talk on this matter. I haven't never made nor marred since I've
been in this family, not in such matters as them. What I've seed,
I've kep' to myself, and when I've had my suspecs, as a woman
can't but have 'em, I've kep' them to myself also. And saving your
pre