Then there came letters from the mother, one letter hot upon the other, all appealing to those texts in Scripture by which the laws of nations are supposed to be supported.  ’Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s.’  It was for the law to declare who were and who were not man and wife, and in this matter the law had declared.  After this how could she doubt?  Or how could she hesitate as to tearing herself away from the belongings of the man who certainly was not her husband?  And there were dreadful words in these letters which added much to the agony of her who received them,—­words which were used in order that their strength might prevail.  But they had no strength to convert, though they had strength to afflict.  Then Mrs. Bolton, who in her anxiety was ready to submit herself to any personal discomfort, prepared to go to Folking.  But Hester sent back word that, in her present condition, she would see nobody,—­not even her mother.

But it was not only from the family of the Boltons that these applications and entreaties came.  Even Mr. Seely took upon himself to tell Mr. Caldigate that under existing circumstances Hester should not be detained at Folking.

‘I do not know that either she or I want advice in the matter,’ Mr. Caldigate replied.  But as a stone will be worn hollow in time by the droppings of many waters, so was it thought that if all Cambridge would continue firm in its purpose, then this stone might at last be made to yield.  The world was so anxious that it resolved among itself that it would submit to any amount of snubbing in carrying out its object.  Even the mayor wrote.  ’Dear Mr. Caldigate, greatly as I object to all interference in families, I think myself bound to appeal to you as to the unfortunate condition of that young lady from Chesterton.’  Then followed all the arguments, and some of the texts,—­both of which were gradually becoming hackneyed in the matter.  Mr. Caldigate’s answer to this was very characteristic:  ’Dear Mr. Mayor, if you have an objection to interfere in families, why do you do it?’ The mayor took the rebuke with placid good-humour, feeling that his little drop might also have done something towards hollowing the stone.

But of all the counsellors, perhaps Mr. Smirkie was the most zealous and the most trusting.  He felt himself to be bound in a peculiar manner to Folking,—­by double ties.  Was not the clergyman of the parish the brother of his dear departed one?  And with whom better could he hold sweet counsel?  And then that second dear one, who had just been vouchsafed to him,—­had she not as it were by a miracle been rescued from the fate into which the other poor lady had fallen, and obtained her present thoroughly satisfactory position?  Mr. Smirkie was a clergyman who understood it to be his duty to be urgent for the good cause, in season and out of season, and who always did his duty.  So he travelled over to Utterden and discussed the matter at great length with Mr.