第53章

S。Whydon’tyouspeak，John？ShallIsayTuesdayfortnight？

Whydon’tyouanswer？GoodGod，John，whathashappened？”

JohnSedleysprangupoutofhischairtomeethiswife，whorantohim。Heseizedherinhisarms，andsaidwithahastyvoice，“We’reruined，Mary。We’vegottheworldtobeginoveragain，dear。It’sbestthatyoushouldknowall，andatonce。”Ashespoke，hetrembledineverylimb，andalmostfell。Hethoughtthenewswouldhaveoverpoweredhiswife——hiswife，towhomhehadneversaidahardword。Butitwashethatwasthemostmoved，suddenastheshockwastoher。Whenhesankbackintohisseat，itwasthewifethattooktheofficeofconsoler。Shetookhistremblinghand，andkissedit，andputitroundherneck：shecalledhimherJohn——herdearJohn——heroldman——herkindoldman；shepouredoutahundredwordsofincoherentloveandtenderness；herfaithfulvoiceandsimplecaresseswroughtthissadheartuptoaninexpressibledelightandanguish，andcheeredandsolacedhisover-burdenedsoul。

Onlyonceinthecourseofthelongnightastheysatetogether，andpoorSedleyopenedhispent-upsoul，andtoldthestoryofhislossesandembarrassments——thetreasonofsomeofhisoldestfriends，themanlykindnessofsome，fromwhomhenevercouldhaveexpectedit——inageneralconfession——onlyoncedidthefaithfulwifegivewaytoemotion。

“MyGod，myGod，itwillbreakEmmy’sheart。”shesaid。

Thefatherhadforgottenthepoorgirl。Shewaslying，awakeandunhappy，overhead。Inthemidstoffriends，home，andkindparents，shewasalone。Tohowmanypeoplecananyonetellall？Whowillbeopenwherethereisnosympathy，orhascalltospeaktothosewhonevercanunderstand？OurgentleAmeliawasthussolitary。Shehadnoconfidante，sotospeak，eversinceshehadanythingtoconfide。Shecouldnottelltheoldmotherherdoubtsandcares；thewould-besistersseemedeverydaymorestrangetoher。Andshehadmisgivingsandfearswhichshedarednotacknowledgetoherself，thoughshewasalwayssecretlybroodingoverthem。

HerhearttriedtopersistinassertingthatGeorgeOsbornewasworthyandfaithfultoher，thoughsheknewotherwise。Howmanyathinghadshesaid，andgotnoechofromhim。Howmanysuspicionsofselfishnessandindifferencehadshetoencounterandobstinatelyovercome。Towhomcouldthepoorlittlemartyrtellthesedailystrugglesandtortures？Herherohimselfonlyhalfunderstoodher。Shedidnotdaretoownthatthemanshelovedwasherinferior；ortofeelthatshehadgivenherheartawaytoosoon。Givenonce，thepurebashfulmaidenwastoomodest，tootender，tootrustful，tooweak，toomuchwomantorecallit。WeareTurkswiththeaffectionsofourwomen；andhavemadethemsubscribetoourdoctrinetoo。Welettheirbodiesgoabroadliberallyenough，withsmilesandringletsandpinkbonnetstodisguisetheminsteadofveilsandyakmaks。Buttheirsoulsmustbeseenbyonlyoneman，andtheyobeynotunwillingly，andconsenttoremainathomeasourslaves——ministeringtousanddoingdrudgeryforus。

Soimprisonedandtorturedwasthisgentlelittleheart，wheninthemonthofMarch，AnnoDomini1815，NapoleonlandedatCannes，andLouisXVIIIfled，andallEuropewasinalarm，andthefundsfell，andoldJohnSedleywasruined。

Wearenotgoingtofollowtheworthyoldstockbrokerthroughthoselastpangsandagoniesofruinthroughwhichhepassedbeforehiscommercialdemisebefell。

TheydeclaredhimattheStockExchange；hewasabsentfromhishouseofbusiness：hisbillswereprotested：

hisactofbankruptcyformal。ThehouseandfurnitureofRussellSquarewereseizedandsoldup，andheandhisfamilywerethrustaway，aswehaveseen，tohidetheirheadswheretheymight。

JohnSedleyhadnotthehearttoreviewthedomesticestablishmentwhohaveappearednowandanoninourpagesandofwhomhewasnowforcedbypovertytotakeleave。Thewagesofthoseworthypeopleweredischargedwiththatpunctualitywhichmenfrequentlyshowwhoonlyoweingreatsums——theyweresorrytoleavegoodplaces——buttheydidnotbreaktheirheartsatpartingfromtheiradoredmasterandmistress。Amelia’smaidwasprofuseincondolences，butwentoffquiteresignedtobetterherselfinagenteelerquarterofthetown。BlackSambo，withtheinfatuationofhisprofession，determinedonsettingupapublic-house。HonestoldMrs。Blenkinsopindeed，whohadseenthebirthofJosandAmelia，andthewooingofJohnSedleyandhiswife，wasforstayingbythemwithoutwages，havingamassedaconsiderablesumintheirse