"It's beastly unpleasant, of course, but it might easily be worse.

I don't mind if it's only for a week or two; and I am really encouraged by what Dr.Thorndyke said.

I hope he wasn't being merely soothing." "You may take it that he was not.

What he said, I am sure he meant.

Of course, you know I am not in his confidence--nobody is--but I gather that he is satisfied with the defence he is preparing." "If he is satisfied, I am," said Reuben, "and, in any case, I shall owe him an immense debt of gratitude for having stood by me and believed in me when all the world--except my aunt and Juliet--had condemned me." He then went on to give me a few particulars of his prison life, and when he had chatted for a quarter of an hour or so, I took my leave to make way for Miss Gibson.
Her interview with him was not as long as I had expected, though, to be sure, the conditions were not very favourable either for the exchange of confidences or for utterances of a sentimental character.