'I should put it in this way,' she said, 'that he thought he was
justified in sacrificing a woman for the sake of an IMPULSE. Call
this a defect or a crime--whichever you like--it is repellent to me.
It makes no difference to me to know that he believed the impulse to
be divine.' 'I wish,' interrupted Clara, 'you two would choose less exciting
subjects of conversation; my totals will not come right.'
They were silent, and Baruch, affecting to study a Rollin's Ancient
History, wondered, especially when he called to mind Mrs Caffyn's
report, what this girl's history could have been. He presently
recovered himself, and it occurred to him that he ought to give some
reason why he had called. Before, however, he was able to offer any
excuse, Clara closed her book.
'Now, it is right,' she said, 'and I am ready.' J
ust at that moment Barnes appeared, hot with hurrying.
'Very sorry, Miss Hopgood, to ask you to stay for a few minutes. I
recollected after I left that the doctor particularly wanted those
books sent off to-night. I should not like to disappoint him. I
have been to the booking-office, and the van will be here in about
twenty minutes. If you will make out the invoice and check me, I
will pack them.'
'I will be off,' said Madge. 'The shop will be shut if I do not make
haste.' 'You are not going alone, are you?' said Baruch. 'May I not go with
you, and cannot we both come back for your sister?
' 'It is very kind of you.' Clara looked up from her desk, watched them as they went out at the
door and, for a moment, seemed lost. Barnes turned round.
'Now, Miss Hopgood.' She started.
'Yes, sir.' 'Fabricius, J. A. Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica in qua continentur.'
'I need not put in the last three words.'
'Yes, yes.' Barnes never liked to be corrected in a title. 'There's
another Fabricius Bibliotheca or Bibliographia. Go on--Basili opera
ad MSS. codices, 3 vols.' Clara silently made the entries a little more scholarly. In a
quarter of an hour the parcel was ready and Cohen returned.
'Your sister would not allow me to wait. She met Mrs Marshall; they
said they should have something to carry, and that it was not worth
while to bring it here. I will walk with you, if you will allow me.
We may as well avoid Holborn.'
They turned into Gray's Inn, and, when they were in comparative
quietude, he said, 'Any Chartist news?' and then without waiting for an answer, 'By the
way, who is your friend Dennis?'