"And saw many interesting sights, no doubt?"
"I--yes; there were caves--the Mammoth Cave, you see; and ships in the harbor; and--and--" A look of doubt and pain passed over her, and she became silent.
"And many, many more attractive or instructive objects met your sight, no doubt?"
"Yes; we were in England just before the Conquest, and I saw Harold the Saxon and Edith the Fair. But 'Fair' was 'foul' then--so foul that the Spirit of Fire consumed her. Oh!--"
She paused, and an expression of horrible anguish convulsed her beautiful face.
"But you are at home now, my child," said the doctor soothingly, laying his hand upon her head.
"Oh, yes," she answered, with a sigh of deep relief as her countenance cleared up; "at home now, thank Heaven! And oh, it is so good to be at home, and to see my friends once more. And then again, you know--"
Whatever she was going to say was lost in the chaos of her mind. She sighed wearily enough now, and relapsed into profound reverie.
The doctor took advantage of her abstraction to leave her side, and beckon to Mr. Berners to follow him to the farthest corner of the cell, so as to be out of hearing of the two ladies.
"What do you think of her case?" anxiously inquired Sybil's husband, as soon as he found himself apart with the physician.
"She is deranged of course. Any child could tell you that. But, Mr. Berners, I called you apart to tell you that myself and my colleagues, Bright and Wiseman, determined to visit our patient singly, and to make a separate examination of her. Now, for certain reasons, and among them, because I am a family practitioner, we all agreed that I should pay her the first visit. And now, Mr. Berners, I must ask you to go and find out if there is an experienced matron about the house; and if so, to bring her here immediately."
Lyon Berners bowed and went out, but soon returned with the warden's widowed daughter.
"Here is Mrs. Mossop, doctor," he said, introducing the matron.
"How do you do, madam? And now, Mr. Berners, I must further request that you will take Miss Pendleton out and leave Mrs. Mossop and myself alone with our patient," said the doctor.
Mr. Berners gave Miss Pendleton his arm and led her from the room.
One of the under-turnkeys locked the door and stood on guard before it.