第28章

Whenallthishadbeendoneshebecamemoreeasyinhermind。Shetalkedprincipallyabouthernephew。“Don’tscoldhim。”shesaid，“ifheisvolatile，andcontinuallytakesthingsuponlytothrowthemdownagain。Howcanhefindouthisstrengthorweaknessotherwise？Aman’sprofession。”shesaid，andhereshegaveoneofherwickedlittlelaughs，“isnotlikehiswife，whichhemusttakeonceforall，forbetterforworse，withoutproofbeforehand。Lethimgohereandthere，andlearnhistruestlikingbyfindingoutwhat，afterall，hecatcheshimselfturningtomosthabitually——thenlethimsticktothis；butIdaresayErnestwillbefortyorfiveandfortybeforehesettlesdown。ThenallhispreviousinfidelitieswillworktogethertohimforgoodifheistheboyI

hopeheis。

“Aboveall。”shecontinued，“donotlethimworkuptohisfullstrength，exceptonceortwiceinhislifetime；nothingiswelldonenorworthdoingunless，takeitallround，ithascomeprettyeasily。TheobaldandChristinawouldgivehimapinchofsaltandtellhimtoputitonthetailsofthesevendeadlyvirtues；“——hereshelaughedagaininheroldmanneratoncesomockingandsosweet——

“IthinkifhelikespancakeshehadperhapsbettereatthemonShroveTuesday，butthisisenough。”Thesewerethelastcoherentwordsshespoke。Fromthattimeshegrewcontinuallyworse，andwasneverfreefromdeliriumtillherdeath——whichtookplacelessthanafortnightafterwards，totheinexpressiblegriefofthosewhoknewandlovedher。

LettershadbeenwrittentoMissPontifex’sbrothersandsisters，andoneandallcamepost-hastetoRoughborough。Beforetheyarrivedthepoorladywasalreadydelirious，andforthesakeofherownpeaceatthelastIamhalfgladsheneverrecoveredconsciousness。

Ihadknownthesepeoplealltheirlives，asnonecanknoweachotherbutthosewhohaveplayedtogetheraschildren；Iknewhowtheyhadallofthem——perhapsTheobaldleast，butallofthemmoreorless——madeherlifeaburdentoheruntilthedeathofherfatherhadmadeherherownmistress，andIwasdispleasedattheircomingoneaftertheothertoRoughborough，andinquiringwhethertheirsisterhadrecoveredconsciousnesssufficientlytobeabletoseethem。Itwasknownthatshehadsentformeonbeingtakenill，andthatIremainedatRoughborough，andIownIwasangeredbythemingledairofsuspicion，defianceandinquisitiveness，withwhichtheyregardedme。Theywouldall，exceptTheobald，Ibelievehavecutmedownrightiftheyhadnotbelievedmetoknowsomethingtheywantedtoknowthemselves，andmighthavesomechanceoflearningfromme——foritwasplainIhadbeeninsomewayconcernedwiththemakingoftheirsister’swill。Noneofthemsuspectedwhattheostensiblenatureofthiswouldbe，butIthinktheyfearedMissPontifexwasabouttoleavemoneyforpublicuses。Johnsaidtomeinhisblandestmannerthathefanciedherememberedtohaveheardhissistersaythatshethoughtofleavingmoneytofoundacollegeforthereliefofdramaticauthorsindistress；tothisImadenorejoinder，andIhavenodoubthissuspicionsweredeepened。

Whentheendcame，IgotMissPontifex’ssolicitortowriteandtellherbrothersandsistershowshehadlefthermoney：theywerenotunnaturallyfurious，andwenteachtohisorherseparatehomewithoutattendingthefuneral，andwithoutpayinganyattentiontomyself。Thiswasperhapsthekindestthingtheycouldhavedonebyme，fortheirbehaviourmademesoangrythatIbecamealmostreconciledtoAlethea’swilloutofpleasureattheangerithadaroused。ButforthisIshouldhavefeltthewillkeenly，ashavingbeenplacedbyitinthepositionwhichofallothersIhadbeenmostanxioustoavoid，andashavingsaddledmewithaveryheavyresponsibility。Stillitwasimpossibleformetoescape，andI

couldonlyletthing