There
was something floating round her shoulders of the same colour, and
on her arms were long gloves such as you see our young ladies
wear. The child did not seem to belong to her, though she held her
tightly by the hand. I mean by that, that its clothes were of a
coarser material than hers and perhaps were a little soiled. If
the child wore a hat, I do not remember it. In age it appeared to
be about six--or that was the impression I received before--"
The sergeant, who had been watching the speaker very closely,
leaned forward with a hasty, inquiring glance expressive of
something like consternation. Was the judge falling again into
unconsciousness? Was he destined to witness in this solitary
meeting a return of the phenomenon which had so startled the
intruding populace that morning?
No, or if he had been witness to something of the kind, it was for
a moment only; for the eyes which had gone blank had turned his
way again, and only a disconnected expression which fell from the
judge's lips, showed that his mind had been wandering.
"It's not the same but another one; that's all."
Inconsequent words, but the sergeant meant to remember them, for
with their utterance, a change passed over the judge; and his
manner, which had been constrained and hurried during his
attempted description, became at once more natural, and therefore
more courteous.
"Do you think you can find her with such insufficient data? A
woman dressed in purple, leading a little child without any hat?"
"Judge, I not only feel sure that I can find her, but I think she
is found already.
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