‘I cannot allow this; I cannot allow this,’ said Mr. Bolton, when he shuffled down in his slippers.  The old servant had been up to him and had warned him that such sufferings as these might have a tragic end,—­too probably an end fatal to the infant.  If the mother’s strength should altogether fail her, would it not go badly with the baby?  So the cook had argued, who had been stern enough herself, anxious enough to secure ‘Miss Hester’ from the wickedness of John Caldigate.  But she was now cowed and frightened, and had acknowledged to herself that if ’Miss Hester’ would not give way, then she must be allowed to go forth, let the wickedness be what it might.

‘There must be an end to this,’ said the old man.

‘What end?’ asked his wife.  ‘Let her obey her parents.’

‘I will obey only my husband,’ said Hester.

’Of course there must be an end.  Let her go to her bed, and, weary as I am, I will wait upon her as only a mother can wait upon her child.  Have I not prayed for her through the watches of the night, that she might be delivered from this calamity, that she might be comforted by Him in her sorrow?  What have I done these two last weary days but pray to the Lord God that He might be merciful to her?’

‘Let me go,’ said Hester.

‘I will not let you go,’ said the mother, rising from her seat.  ’I too can suffer.  I too can endure.  I will not be conquered by my own child.’  There spoke the human being.  That was the utterance natural to the woman.  ’In this struggle, hard as it is, I will not be beat by one who has been subject to my authority.’  In all those prayers,—­and she had prayed,—­there had been the prayer in her heart, if not in her words, that she might be saved from the humiliation of yielding.

Early in the day Caldigate was again in front of the house, and outside there was a close carriage with a pair of horses, standing at the gardener’s little gate.  And at the front gate, which was still chained, there was again the crowd.  At about one both William and Robert Bolton came upon the scene, and were admitted by the gardener and cook through the kitchen-door into the house.  They were close to Caldigate as they entered; neither did they speak to him or he to them.  At that moment Hester was standing with the baby at the window, and saw them.  ’Now I shall be allowed to go,’ she exclaimed.  Mrs. Bolton was still seated with her back to the windows; but she had heard the steps on the gravel, and the opening of the kitchen-door; and she understood Hester’s words, and was aware that her husband’s sons were in the house.

They had agreed as to what should be done, and at once made their way up into the hall.  ’William, you will make them let me go.  You will make them let me go,’ said Hester, rushing at once to the elder of the two, and holding out her baby as though for him to take.  She was now in a state so excited, so nervous, so nearly hysterical, that she was hardly able to control herself.  ’You will not let them kill me, William,—­me and my baby.’  He kissed her and said a kind word or two, and then, inquiring after his father, passed on up-stairs.  Then Mrs. Bolton followed him, leaving Robert in the hall with Hester.  ’I know that you have turned against me,’ said Hester.