The Quarter Sessions

"Is it so nominated in the bond?"--Merchant of Venice.

Malgre her disinclination, Rachel had reached the point of recovery in
which the fresh air and change of scene of the drive to Avoncester could
not fail to act as restoratives, and the first evening with the Dean and
his gentle old sister was refreshing and comfortable to her spirits.

It was in the afternoon of the ensuing day that Mr. Grey came to tell
her that her presence would soon be required, and both her mother and
sister drove to the court with her. Poor Mrs. Curtis, too anxious to
go away, yet too nervous to go into court, chose, in spite of all Mr.
Grey's advice, to remain in the carriage with the blinds closed, far too
miserable for Grace to leave her.

Rachel, though very white, called up a heroic smile, and declared that
she should get on very well. Her spirit had risen to the occasion, so
as to brace her nerves to go becomingly through what was inevitable; and
she replied with a ready "yes," to Mr. Grey's repetition of the advice
for ever dinned into her ears, not to say a word more than needful,
feeling indeed little disposed to utter anything that she could avoid.

She emerged from the dark passage into full view of faces which were
far more familiar than she could have wished. She would have greatly
preferred appearing before a judge, robed, wigged, and a stranger, to
coming thus before a country gentleman, slightly known to herself, but
an old friend of her father, and looking only like his ordinary self.