As she said this she would have rushed out of the room, if she had not been stopped by Doctor Hodges.

“Whither so fast?” he inquired.

“Oh! let me go—­let me go, I implore of you!” she cried, bursting into an agony of tears.

“Not till you have composed yourself,” rejoined the doctor.  “What is the matter?  But I need not ask.  I wonder Leonard can be insensible to charms like yours, coupled with such devotion.  Everything seems to be at cross purposes, and it requires some one more skilled in the affairs of the heart than an old bachelor like myself to set them right.  Sit down.  I have a few questions of importance to ask you before you depart.”

And partly by entreaty, partly by compulsion, he made her take a chair; and as soon as she was sufficiently composed to answer him, questioned her as to what she knew relating to Judith Malmayns and Chowles.

“Mr. Quatremain, the minor canon, has died of the plague in one of the vaults of Saint Faith’s,” he observed; “and I more than suspect, from the appearance of the body, has not met with fair play.”

“Your suspicion is well founded, sir,” replied Nizza.  “Solomon Eagle told me that the unfortunate man’s end was hastened by the plague-nurse.  Nor is this her sole crime.  She was hired to make away with Leonard Holt in the same manner, and would have accomplished her purpose but for the intervention of Solomon Eagle.”

“Neither she nor her partner in guilt, the coffin-maker, shall escape justice this time,” replied Hodges.  “I will instantly cause her to be arrested, and I trust she will expiate her offences at Tyburn.  But to change the subject.  I am sincerely interested about you, Nizza, and I wish I could make Leonard as sensible of your merits as I am myself.  I still hope a change will take place in his feelings.”

“My heart tells me the contrary,” replied Nizza.  “There is no hope for either of us.  Farewell, Leonard!” and she rushed out of the room.

Soon after this Hodges quitted the apprentice, and going before a magistrate, detailed all that had come to his knowledge concerning the criminal practices of Judith Malmayns and Chowles.  In the course of the day the accused parties were arrested, and, after a long examination, conveyed to Newgate.  Solomon Eagle could not be found, neither could Sir Paul Parravicin.  It appeared that Mr. Quatremain’s residence had been entered on that very morning, and the box of treasure discovered in Saint Faith’s abstracted.  But though the strongest suspicion of the robbery attached to Chowles and Judith, it could not be brought home to them.

We shall now proceed to Wood-street, and ascertain what took place there.  Refreshments were placed before the supposed Doctor Maplebury by the grocer, while his attendant was sent to the kitchen, and directions given to Blaize to take every care of him; old Josyna was occupied about her own concerns; and Pillichody, perceiving from the porter’s manner that his disguise was detected, laid aside concealment altogether, and endeavoured to win the other over to his patron’s interests.