Of sin, as sin, they had no
apparent knowledge, either by sight, by hearsay or by actual
acquaintance. They sat stolidly in their little chairs, eyes roving
to the windows, the blackboard, the pictures; they clubbed together
and fished a pin from a crack in the floor during one of Mary's most
thrilling appeals; finally they appeared so bored by the whole
proceeding that she felt a certain sense of embarrassment in the
midst of her despair. She took them home herself at noon, apologised
to the injured Mrs. Grubb for Rhoda's unfortunate remarks, and told
that lady, gently but firmly, that Lisa could not be moved until she
was decidedly better.
'She was wandering about the streets searching for the twins from
noon till long after dark, Mrs. Grubb--there can be no doubt of it;
and she bears unmistakable signs of having suffered deeply. I have
called in a physician, and we must all abide by his advice.'
'That's well enough for the present,' agreed Mrs. Grubb reluctantly,
'but I cannot continue to have my studies broken in upon by these
excitements. I really cannot. I thought I had made an arrangement
with Madame Goldmarker to relieve me, but she has just served me a
most unladylike and deceitful trick, and the outcome of it will be
that I shall have to send Lisa to the asylum.
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