"
And her manner grew so imperious that Mr. Batchgrew was intimidated.
"But--but--"
"I'd sooner lose all the money!" said Mrs. Maldon, almost wildly.
She blushed. And Rachel also felt herself to be blushing, and was
not sure whether she knew why she was blushing. An atmosphere of
constraint and shame seemed to permeate the room.
Mr. Batchgrew growled--
"The money must be in the house. The truth is, Elizabeth, ye don't
know no more than that bedpost where ye put it."
And Rachel agreed eagerly--
"Of course it _must_ be in the house! I shall set to and turn
everything out. Everything!"
"Ye'd better!" said Thomas Batchgrew.
"That will be the best thing, dear--perhaps," said Mrs. Maldon,
indifferent, and now plainly fatigued.
Every one seemed determined to be convinced that the money was in the
house, and to employ this conviction as a defence against horrible dim
suspicions that had inexplicably emerged from the corners of the room
and were creeping about like menaces.
"Where else should it be?" muttered Batchgrew, sarcastically, after a
pause, as if to say, "Anybody who fancies the money isn't in the house
is an utter fool."
Mrs. Maldon had closed her eyes.
There was a faint knock at the door.
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