he hardly knew whether or no he was to consider himself as bound to Miss Furnival; nor did he feel quite sure whether or no he wished to be so bound. She was handsome, and clever, and an heiress; but yet he was not certain that she possessed all those womanly charms which are desirable in a wife. He could not but reflect that she had never yet said a soft word to him.
CHAPTER XXVII.
MR. MOULDER BACKS HIS OPINION.
As the day of the trial drew nigh, the perturbation of poor John Kenneby's mind became very great. Moulder had not intended to frighten him, but had thought it well to put him up to what he believed to be the truth. No doubt he would be badgered and bullied. 'And,' as Moulder said to his wife afterwards, 'wasn't it better that he should know what was in store for him?' The consequence was, that had it been by any means possible, Kenneby would have run away on the day before the trial.
But it was by no means possible, for Dockwrath had hardly left him alone for an instant. Dockwrath at this time had crept into a sort of employment in the case from which Matthew Round had striven in vain to exclude him. Mr. Round had declared once or twice that if Mr. Mason encouraged Dockwrath to interfere, he, Round, would throw the matter up. But professional men cannot very well throw up their business, and Round went on, although Dockwrath did interfere, and although Mr. Mason did encourage him. On the eve of the trial he went down to Alston with Kenneby and Bolster; and Mr. Moulder, at the express instance of Kenneby, accompanied them.
'What can I do? I can't stop the fellow's gab,' Moulder had said. But Kenneby pleaded hard that some friend might be near him in the day of his trouble, and Moulder at last consented.
'I wish it was me,' Mrs. Smiley had said, when they talked the matter over in Great St. Helens; 'I'd let the barrister know what was what when he came to knock me about.' Kenneby wished it also, with all his heart.
Mr. Mason went down by the same train, but he travelled by the first class. Dockwrath, who was now holding his head up, would have gone with him, had he not thought it better to remain with Kenneby. 'He might jump out of the carriage and destroy himself,' he said to Mr. Mason.
'If he had any of the feelings of an Englishman within his breast,' said Mason, 'he would be anxious to give assistance towards the punishment of such a criminal as that.
