She turned to trim
the candle on the chimney-piece, and said, with her back towards the
traveller:
'Nobody should be made more welcome at the Dragon, master, than any one
who brought me news of Mark. But it's many and many a long day and month
since he left here and England. And whether he's alive or dead, poor
fellow, Heaven above us only knows!'
She shook her head, and her voice trembled; her hand must have done so
too, for the light required a deal of trimming.
'Where did he go, ma'am?' asked the traveller, in a gentler voice.
'He went,' said Mrs Lupin, with increased distress, 'to America. He was
always tender-hearted and kind, and perhaps at this moment may be lying
in prison under sentence of death, for taking pity on some miserable
black, and helping the poor runaway creetur to escape. How could he ever
go to America! Why didn't he go to some of those countries where the
savages eat each other fairly, and give an equal chance to every one!'
Quite subdued by this time, Mrs Lupin sobbed, and was retiring to a
chair to give her grief free vent, when the traveller caught her in his
arms, and she uttered a glad cry of recognition.
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