But you must not distress yourself unnecessarily; the sentence is sure to be commuted to transportation, or something equivalent.

I was talking to the Home Secretary about it only last night.

Lapse of time and subsequent good character quite preclude any idea of capital punishment." All the time that he said this he had other thoughts at the back of his mind--some curiosity, a little regret, a touch of remorse, a wonder how the meeting (which, of course, would have to be some time) between Lady Corbet and Ellinor would go off; but he spoke clearly enough on the subject in hand, and no outward mark of distraction from it appeared.
Elmer answered: "I came to tell you, what I suppose may be told to any judge, in confidence and full reliance on his secrecy, that Abraham Dixon was not the murderer." She stopped short, and choked a little.
The judge looked sharply at her.
"Then you know who was ?" said he.
"Yes," she replied, with a low, steady voice, looking him full in the face, with sad, solemn eyes.
The truth flashed into his mind.

He shaded his face, and did not speak for a minute or two.

Then he said, not looking up, a little hoarsely, "This, then, was the shame you told me of long ago ?" "Yes," said she.
Both sat quite still; quite silent for some time.