Is it not possible that the
late Mr. Light had made an outbreak before witnesses who are still
living?"
"Certainly her marriage now," said Madame Grandoni, less analytically,
"has the advantage that it takes her away from her--parents!"
This lady's farther comments upon the event are not immediately
pertinent to our history; there were some other comments of which
Rowland had a deeply oppressive foreboding. He called, on the evening
of the morrow upon Mrs. Hudson, and found Roderick with the two
ladies. Their companion had apparently but lately entered, and Rowland
afterwards learned that it was his first appearance since the writing of
the note which had so distressed his mother. He had flung himself upon
a sofa, where he sat with his chin upon his breast, staring before him
with a sinister spark in his eye. He fixed his gaze on Rowland, but gave
him no greeting. He had evidently been saying something to startle the
women; Mrs. Hudson had gone and seated herself, timidly and imploringly,
on the edge of the sofa, trying to take his hand. Miss Garland was
applying herself to some needlework with conscious intentness.
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