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you to wait here and be a witness。〃
Finding that we were both willing to comply with this request；
she addressed herself directly to the Minister。 〃Suppose I
promise to listen to your exhortations；〃 she began； 〃what do you
promise to do for me in return？〃
The voice in which she spoke to him was steady and clear； a
marked contrast to the tremulous earnestness with which he
answered her。
〃I promise to urge you to repentance and the confession of your
crime。 I promise to implore the divine blessing on me in the
effort to save your poor guilty soul。〃
She looked at him； and listened to him； as if he was speaking to
her in an unknown tongue； and went on with what she had to say as
quietly as ever。
〃When I am hanged to…morrow； suppose I die without confessing；
without repentingare you one of those who believe I shall be
doomed to eternal punishment in another life？〃
〃I believe in the mercy of God。〃
〃Answer my question； if you please。 Is an impenitent sinner
eternally punished？ Do you believe that？〃
〃My Bible leaves me no other alternative。〃
She paused for a while； evidently considering with special
attention what she was about to say next。
〃As a religious man；〃 she resumed； 〃would you be willing to make
some sacrifice； rather than let a fellow…creature goafter a
disgraceful deathto everlasting torment？〃
〃I know of no sacrifice in my power；〃 he said； fervently； 〃to
which I would not rather submit than let you die in the present
dreadful state of your mind。〃
The Prisoner turned to me。 〃Is the person who watches me waiting
outside？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Will you be so kind as to call her in？ I have a message for
her。〃
It was plain that she had been leading the way to the delivery of
that message； whatever it might be； in all that she had said up
to the present time。 So far my poor powers of penetration helped
me； and no further。
The warder appeared； and received her message。 〃Tell the woman
who has come here with my little girl that I want to see the
child。〃
Taken completely by surprise； I signed to the attendant to wait
for further instructions。
In a moment more I had sufficiently recovered myself to see the
impropriety of permitting any obstacle to interp ose between the
Minister and his errand of mercy。 I gently reminded the Prisoner
that she would have a later opportunity of seeing her child。
〃Your first duty；〃 I told her； 〃is to hear and to take to heart
what the clergyman has to say to you。〃
For the second time I attempted to leave the cell。 For the second
time this impenetrable woman called me back。
〃Take the parson away with you；〃 she said。 〃I refuse to listen to
him。〃
The patient Minister yielded； and appealed to me to follow his
example。 I reluctantly sanctioned the delivery of the message。
After a brief interval the child was brought to us； tired and
sleepy。 For a while the nurse roused her by setting her on her
feet。 She happened to notice the Minister first。 Her bright eyes
rested on him； gravely wondering。 He kissed her； and； after a
momentary hesitation； gave her to her mother。 The horror of the
situation overpowered him： he turned his face away from us。 I
understood what he felt； he almost overthrew my own self…command。
The Prisoner spoke to the nurse in no friendly tone： 〃You can
go。〃
The nurse turned to me； ostentatiously ignoring the words that
had been addressed to her。 〃Am I to go； sir； or to stay？〃 I
suggested that she should return to the waiting…room。 She
returned at once in silence。 The Prisoner looked after her as she
went out； with such an expression of hatred in her eyes that the
Minister noticed it。
〃What has that person done to offend you？〃 he asked。
〃She is the last person in the whole world whom I should have
chosen to take care of my child； if the power of choosing had
been mine。 But I have been in prison； without a living creature
to represent me or to take my part。 No more of that； my troubles
will be over in a few hours more。 I want you to look at my little
girl； whose troubles are all to come。 Do you call her pretty？ Do
you feel interested in her？〃
The sorrow and pity in his face answered for him。
Quietly sleeping； the poor baby rested on her mother's bosom。 Was
the heart of the murderess softened by the divine influence of
maternal love？ The hands that held the child trembled a little。
For the first time it seemed to cost her an effort to compose
herself； before she could speak to the Minister again。
〃When I die to…morrow；〃 she said； 〃I leave my child helpless and
friendlessdisgraced by her mother's shameful death。 The
workhouse may take heror a charitable asylum may take her。〃 She
paused； a first tinge of color rose on her pale face； she broke
into an outburst of rage。 〃Think of _my_ daughter being brought
up by charity！ She may suffer poverty； she may be treated with
contempt； she may be employed by brutal people in menial work。 I
can't endure it； it maddens me。 If she is not saved from that
wretched fate； I shall die despairing； I shall die cursing〃
The Minister sternly stopped her before she could say the next
word。 To my astonishment she appeared to be humbled； to be even
ashamed： she asked his pardon： 〃Forgive me； I won't forget myself
again。 They tell me you have no children of your own。 Is that a
sorrow to you and your wife？〃
Her altered tone touched him。 He answered sadly and kindly： 〃It
is the one sorrow of our lives。〃
The purpose which she had been keeping in view from the moment
when the Minister entered her cell was no mystery now。 Ought I to
have interfered？ Let me confess a weakness； unworthy perhaps of
my office。 I was so sorry for the childI hesitated。
My silence encouraged the mother。 She advanced to the Minister
with the sleeping infant in her arms。
〃I daresay you have sometimes thought of adopting a child？〃 she
said。 〃Perhaps you can guess now what I had in my mind； when I
asked if you would consent to a sacrifice？ Will you take this
wretched innocent little creature home with you？〃 She lost her
self…possession once more。 〃A motherless creature to…morrow；〃 she
burst out。 〃Think of that。〃
God knows how I still shrunk from it！ But there was no
alternative now； I was bound to remember my duty to the excellent
man； whose critical position at that moment was； in some degree
at least； due to my hesitation in asserting my authority。 Could I
allow the Prisoner to presume on his compassionate nature； and to
hurry him into a decision which； in his calmer moments； he might
find reason to regret？ I spoke to _him。_ Does the man live
whohaving to say what I had to saycould have spoken to the
doomed mother？
〃I am sorry to have allowed this to go on；〃 I said。 〃In justice
to yourself； sir； don't answer！〃
She turned on me with a look of fury。
〃He shall answer；〃 she cried。
I saw； or thought I saw； signs of yielding in his face。 〃Take
time；〃 I persisted〃take time to consider before you decide。〃
She stepped up to me。
〃Take time？〃 she repeated。 〃Are you inhuman enough to talk of
time； in my presence？〃
She laid the sleeping child on her bed； and fell on her knees
before the Minister： 〃I promise to hear your