'Mr. Mason———' And then again she stopped herself. How was she to speak this horrible word?
'Is it anything about the trial?' He was now beginning to be frightened, feeling that something terrible was coming; but still of the absolute truth he had no suspicion.
'Oh! Mr. Mason, if it were possible that I could spare you I would do so. If there were any escape,—any way in which it might be avoided.'
'What is it?' said he. And now his voice was hoarse and low, for a feeling of fear had come upon him. 'I am a man and can bear it, whatever it is.'
'You must be a man then, for it is very terrible. Mr. Mason, that will, you know———'
'You mean the codicil?'
'The will that gave you the property———'
'Yes.'
'It was not done by your father.'
'Who says so?'
'It is too sure. It was not done by him,—nor by them,—those other people who were in the court to-day.'
'But who says so? How is it known? If my father did not sign it, it is a forgery; and who forged it? Those wretches have bought over some one and you have been deceived, Mrs. Orme. It is not of the property I am thinking, but of my mother. If it were as you say, my mother must have known it?'
'Ah! yes.'
'And you mean that she did know it; that she knew it was a forgery?'
'Oh! Mr. Mason.'
'Heaven and earth! Let me go to her. If she were to tell me so herself I would not believe it of her. Ah! she has told you?'
'Yes; she has told me.'
'Then she is mad. This has been too much for her, and her brain has gone with it. Let me go to her, Mrs. Orme.'
'No, no; you must not go her.' And Mrs. Orme put herself directly before the door. 'She is not mad,—not now. Then, at that time, we must think she was so. It is not so now.'
'I cannot understand you.' And he put his left hand up to his forehead as though to steady his thoughts. 'I do not understand you. If the will be a forgery, who did it?'
This question she could not answer at the moment. She was still standing against the door, and her eyes fell to the ground. 'Who did it?' he repeated. 'Whose hand wrote my father's name?'
'You must be merciful, Mr. Mason.'
'Merciful;—to whom?'
'To your mother.'
