第65章

Iwouldhavekeptitsecretfromyou；forIthinkitwillgrieveyou，andyetyoucanadministernoconsolation。

Butyouhavesurprisedme-Iseeyouaresurprisedyourself，-

andIhatemystery。Readthatletter。’’

TheletterwasfromColonelTalbot’ssister，andinthesewords：

Ireceivedyours，mydearestbrother，byHedges。SirE。

W。andMr。R。arestillatlarge，butarenotpermittedtoleaveLondon。IwishtoHeavenIcouldgiveyouasgoodanaccountofmattersinthesquare。ButthenewsoftheunhappyaffairatPrestoncameuponus，withthedreadfuladditionthatyouwereamongthefallen。YouknowLadyEmily’sstateofhealth，whenyourfriendshipforSirE。inducedyoutoleaveher。ShewasmuchharassedwiththesadaccountsfromScotlandoftherebellionhavingbrokenout；butkeptupherspirits，as，shesaid，itbecameyourwife，andforthesakeofthefutureheir，solonghopedforinvain。Alas，mydearbrother，thesehopesarenowended！Notwithstandingallmywatchfulcare，thisunhappyrumourreachedherwithoutpreparation。Shewastakenillimmediately；andthepoorinfantscarcesurviveditsbirth。WouldtoGodthiswereall！Butalthoughthecontradictionofthehorriblereportbyyourownletterhasgreatlyrevivedherspirits，yetDr。apprehends，Igrievetosay，serious，andevendangerous，consequencestoherhealth，especiallyfromtheuncertaintyinwhichshemustnecessarilyremainforsometime，aggravatedbytheideasshehasformedoftheferocityofthosewithwhomyouareaprisoner。

Dotherefore，mydearbrother，assoonasthisreachesyou，endeavourtogainyourrelease，byparole，byransom，oranywaythatispracticable。IdonotexaggerateLadyEmily’sstateofhealth；butImustnot-darenot-suppressthetruth-Ever，mydearPhilip，yourmostaffectionatesister，LucyTalbot。’’

Edwardstoodmotionlesswhenhehadperusedthisletter；

fortheconclusionwasinevitable，thatbytheColonel’sjourneyinquestofhim，hehadincurredthisheavycalamity。Itwassevereenough，eveninitsirremediablepart；forColonelTalbotandLadyEmily，longwithoutafamily，hadfondlyexultedinthehopeswhichwerenowblasted。Butthisdisappointmentwasnothingtotheextentofthethreatenedevil；

andEdward，withhorror，regardedhimselfastheoriginalcauseofboth。

Erehecouldcollecthimselfsufficientlytospeak，ColonelTalbothadrecoveredhisusualcomposureofmanner，thoughhistroubledeyedenotedhismentalagony。

Sheisawoman，myyoungfriend，whomayjustifyevenasoldier’stears。’’Hereachedhimtheminiature，exhibitingfeatureswhichfullyjustifiedtheeulogium；andyet，Godknows，whatyouseeofherthereistheleastofthecharmsshepossesses-possessed，Ishouldperhapssay-butGod’swillbedone！’’

Youmustfly-youmustflyinstantlytoherrelief。Itisnot-itshallnotbetoolate。’’

Fly！-howisitpossible？Iamaprisoner-uponparole。’’

Iamyourkeeper-Irestoreyourparole-Iamtoanswerforyou。’’

Youcannotdosoconsistentlywithyourduty；norcanI

acceptadischargefromyouwithdueregardtomyownhonour-youwouldbemaderesponsible。’’

Iwillansweritwithmyhead，ifnecessary，’’saidWaverley，impetuously。Ihavebeentheunhappycauseofthelossofyourchild-makemenotthemurdererofyourwife。’’

No，mydearEdward，’’saidTalbot，takinghimkindlybythehand，youareinnorespecttoblame；andifIconcealedthisdomesticdistressfortwodays，itwaslestyoursensibilityshouldviewitinthatlight。Youcouldnotthinkofme，hardlyknewofmyexistence，whenIleftEnglandinquestofyou。Itisaresponsibility，Heavenknows，sufficientlyheavyformortality，thatwemustanswerfortheforeseenanddirectresultofouractions，-fortheirindirectandconsequentialoperation，thegreatandgoodBeing，whoalonecanforeseethedependenceofhumaneventsoneachother，hathnotpronouncedhisfrailcreaturesliable。’’

ButthatyoushouldhaveleftLadyEmily，’’saidWaverley，withmuchemotion，inthesituationofallothersthemostinterestingtoahusband，toseeka’’

Ionlydi