er in the scheme of fraud as
a principal, but they compromised deeply Mrs. Hazleton herself as
cognizant of all that was going on, and aiding and abetting with her
personal advice. She detailed the whole particulars of the plan which
had been formed for bringing Emily Hastings to Mrs. Hazleton's house,
and frightening her into a marriage with John Ayliffe; and she dwelt
particularly on the tutoring he had received from that lady, and his
frantic rage when the scheme was frustrated. The transactions between
him and the unhappy man Tom Cutter she knew only in part; but she
admitted that her son had laughed triumphantly at the thought of how Sir
Philip would be galled when he was made to believe that his beloved
Emily had been to visit her young reprobate son at the cottage near the
park, and that, too, at a time when he had been actually engaged in
poaching.

All, in fact, came forth with the greatest readiness, and indeed much
more was told than any questions tended to elicit. She seemed indeed to
have now lost all desire for concealment, and to found her hopes and
expectations on the freest discovery. Her only dread, apparently, being
that she might be taken to England, and confronted with her son. On this
point she dwelt much, and Marlow consented that she should remain in
France, under the supervision of the police, for a time at least, though
he would not promise her, notwithstanding all her entreaties, that she
should never be sent for. He endeavored, however, to obviate the
necessity of so doing, by taking every formal step that could be devised
to render the evidence he had obtained available in a court of law, as
documentary testimony. A magistrate was sent for, her statements were
read over to her in his presence by the commissary of police, and though
it cannot be asserted that either the style or the orthography of the
worthy commissary were peculiarly English, yet Mrs. Ayliffe signed them,
and swore to them in good set form, and in the presence of four
witnesses.

To Marlow, the scene was a very painful one; for he had a natural
repugnance to seeing the weakness and degradation of human nature so
painfully exhibited by any fellow-creature, and he left her with
feelings of pity, but still stronger feelings of contempt.

All such sensations, however, vanished when he reached the inn again,
and he found himself in possession of evidence which would clear his
beloved Emily of the suspicions which had been inst