第27章

’Youwerealwaysverykind，sir，tothose——tothosethatWANTEDkindness。’

Thetearswerealmostoverflowing，butshecheckedthem；andasifanaccessionoffortitudehadfollowedthemomentaryweakness，shecontinued，inasubduedbutfirmtone，totellmebrieflythecircumstancesofhermarriagewithO’Mara。

Whenshehadconcludedtherecital，shepausedforamoment；andIaskedagain：

’CanIaidyouinanyway——byadviceorotherwise？’

’Iwish，sir，totellyouallIhavebeenthinkingabout，’shecontinued。’Iamsure，sir，thatMasterRichardlovedmeonce——Iamsurehedidnotthinktodeceiveme；buttherewerebad，hard-

heartedpeopleabouthim，andhisfamilywereallrichandhigh，andIamsurehewishesNOWthathehadnever，neverseenme。Well，sir，itisnotinmyhearttoblamehim。Whatwas_I_thatIshouldlookathim？——anignorant，poor，countrygirl——

andhesohighandgreat，andsobeautiful。

Theblamewasallmine——itwasallmyfault；Icouldnotthinkorhopehewouldcareformemorethanalittletime。Well，sir，Ithoughtoverandoveragainthatsincehislovewasgonefrommeforever，Ishouldnotstandinhisway，andhinderwhatevergreatthinghisfamilywishedforhim。SoIthoughtoftenandoftentowritehimalettertogetthemarriagebroken，andtosendmehome；butforonereason，Iwouldhavedoneitlongago：therewasalittlechild，hisandmine——thedearest，theloveliest。’Shecouldnotgoonforaminuteortwo。’Thelittlechildthatislyingthere，onthatbed；butitisdeadandgone，andthereisnoreasonNOWwhyIshoulddelayanymoreaboutit。’

Sheputherhandintoherbreast，andtookoutaletter，whichsheopened。Sheputitintomyhands。Itranthus：

’DEARMASTERRICHARD，’Mylittlechildisdead，andyourhappinessisallIcareaboutnow。Yourmarriagewithmeisdispleasingtoyourfamily，andIwouldbeaburdentoyou，andinyourwayinthefineplaces，andamongthegreatfriendswhereyoumustbe。Youought，therefore，tobreakthemarriage，andIwillsignwhateverYOU

wish，oryourfamily。Iwillnevertrytoblameyou，MasterRichard——donotthinkit——forIneverdeservedyourlove，andmustnotcomplainnowthatIhavelostit；butIwillalwaysprayforyou，andbethinkingofyouwhileIlive。’

WhileIreadthisletter，Iwassatisfiedthatsofarfromaddingtothepoorgirl’sgrief，afulldisclosureofwhathadhappenedwould，onthecontrary，mitigatehersorrow，anddepriveitofitssharpeststing。

’Ellen，’saidIsolemnly，’RichardO’Marawasneverunfaithfultoyou；heisnowwherehumanreproachcanreachhimnomore。’

AsIsaidthis，thehecticflushuponhercheekgaveplacetoapalenesssodeadly，thatIalmostthoughtshewoulddroplifelessuponthespot。

’Ishe——ishedead，then？’saidshe，wildly。

Itookherhandinmine，andtoldherthesadstoryasbestIcould。Shelistenedwithacalmnesswhichappearedalmostunnatural，untilIhadfinishedthemournfulnarration。Shethenarose，andgoingtothebedside，shedrewthecurtainandgazedsilentlyandfixedlyonthequietfaceofthechild：butthefeelingswhichswelledatherheartcouldnotbesuppressed；thetearsgushedforth，andsobbingasifherheartwouldbreak，sheleantoverthebedandtookthedeadchildinherarms。

Sheweptandkissedit，andkisseditandweptagain，ingriefsopassionate，soheartrending，astodrawbittertearsfrommyeyes。IsaidwhatlittleIcouldtocalmher——tohavesoughttodomorewouldhavebeenamockery；andobservingthatthedarknesshadclosedin，I

tookmyleaveanddeparted，beingfavouredwiththeservicesofmyformerguide。

Iexpectedtohavebeensooncalleduponagaintovisitthepoorgirl；buttheLodgelaybeyondtheboundaryofmyparish，andIfeltareluctancetotrespassupontheprecinctsofmybrotherminister，andacertaindegreeofhesitationinintrudingupononewhosesituationwassoverypeculiar，andwhowould，Ihadnodoubt，feelnoscrupleinrequestingmyattendanceifshedesiredit。

Amonth，however，passedaway，andI

didnothearanythingofEllen。IcalledattheLodge，andtomyinquiriestheyansweredthatshewasverymuchworseinhealth，andthatsincethedeathofthechildshehadbeensinkingf