In vain did Jael expostulate, and Grace implore.  In vain did Jael assure him that Coventry was in a worse position than himself, and try to make him see that any rash act of his would make Grace even more miserable than she was at present.  He replied that he had no intention of running his neck into a halter; he should act warily, like the Hillsborough Trades, and strike his blow so cunningly that the criminal should never know whence it came.  “I’ve been in a good school for homicide,” said he; “and I am an inventor.  No man has ever played the executioner so ingeniously as I will play it.  Think of all this scoundrel has done to me:  he owes me a dozen lives, and I’ll take one.  Man shall never detect me:  God knows all, and will forgive me, I hope.  If He doesn’t, I can’t help it.”

He kissed Grace again and again, and comforted her; said she was not to blame; honest people were no match for villains:  if she had been twice as simple, he would have forgiven her at sight of the stiletto; that cleared her, in his mind, better than words.

He was now soft and gentle as a lamb.  He begged Jael’s pardon humbly for leaving Hillsborough without telling her.  He said he had gone up to her room; but all was still; and he was a working man, and the sleep of a working-woman was sacred to him—­(he would have awakened a fine lady without ceremony).  Be assured her he had left a note for her in his box, thanking and blessing her for all her goodness.  He said that he hoped he might yet live to prove by acts, and not by idle words, how deeply he felt all she had done and suffered for him.

Jael received these excuses in hard silence.  “That is enough about me,” said she, coldly.  “If you are grateful to me, show it by taking my advice.  Leave vengeance to Him who has said that vengeance is His.”

The man’s whole manner changed directly, and he said doggedly: 

“Well, I will be His instrument.”

“He will choose His own.”

“I’ll lend my humble co-operation.”

“Oh, do not argue with him,” said Grace, piteously.  “When did a man ever yield to our arguments?  Dearest, I can’t argue:  but I am full of misery, and full of fears.  You see my love; you forgive my folly.  Have pity on me; think of my condition:  do not doom me to live in terror by night and day:  have I not enough to endure, my own darling?  There, promise me you will do nothing rash to-night, and that you will come to me the first thing to-morrow.  Why, you have not seen your mother yet; she is at Raby Hall.”

“My dear mother!” said he:  “it would be a poor return for all your love if I couldn’t put off looking for that scum till I have taken you in my arms.”

And so Grace got a reprieve.

They parted in deep sorrow, but almost as lovingly as ever, and Little went at once to Raby Hall, and Grace, exhausted by so many emotions, lay helpless on a couch in her own room all the rest of the day.