Without paying any attention to the usher, she glided to the nearest
vacant seat to ours. Directly, I was conscious that very many eyes were
upon us. Opening my Bible, I read mechanically the words before me; but
no more conscious of their meaning than if they had been Sanscrit. When
the service began, in the withdrawal of attention to other things, I took
courage to look at Mr. Winthrop. He sat facing Mrs. Le Grande, but with
face as unruffled as if he were reading his morning paper. I glanced next
at Mrs. Le Grande. She sat with downcast eyes, her color varying
fitfully. She might have been taken for some beautiful picture of
penitence. I do not know if Mr. Winthrop vouchsafed her a single look,
but from her expression I judged that she thought he was watching her
closely. It was a relief when the service was ended, although my
conscience painfully reminded me that I would have another master
opportunity for listening to the preached gospel to repent of, or else to
confront some day; for I had been so nervous I had not listened
intelligently to a single sentence of the sermon.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MRS. LE GRANDE'S STRATAGEM.
The congregation slowly dispersed, Mr. Winthrop pausing, as was his wont,
for the crowd to move out. Although one of the busiest men I ever met, he
never seemed in a hurry. Besides, he had an extreme dislike to be jostled
by a hurrying crowd. When he saw the aisles getting empty he left the
pew. Mrs. La Grande apparently, like ourselves, liked plenty of
elbow-room; for she only left her pew a few steps in advance of us.
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