Then he most politely represented the need of a maintenance while he
was thus qualifying himself. Janet had evidently not told him about
the will, and Caroline only said that from a recent discovery she
thought her own tenure of the property very insecure, and she could
undertake nothing for the future. She would let him know. However,
she gave him a cheque for 100 pounds for the present, knowing that
she could make it up from the money of her own which she had been
accumulating for Elvira's portion.
Then Janet came in to take leave. Mr. Hermann described what the
excellent and gracious lady had granted to him, and he made it sound
so well, and his wife seemed so confident and triumphant, that her
mother feared she had allowed more to be inferred than she intended,
and tried to explain that all depended on the fulfilment of the
conditions of which Janet at least was perfectly aware. She was
overwhelmed, however, with his gratitude and Janet's assurances, and
they went away, leaving her with a hand much kissed by him, and the
fondest, most lingering embrace she had ever had from Janet. Then
she was free to lie still, abandoned to fears for her daughter's
future and repentance for her own careless past, and, above all
crushed by the ache that would let her really feel little but pain
and oppression.
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