THE fiendish suggestion of the mother, against the purity of her own child, almost divested me, for the moment, of my own rancor--almost deprived me of my suspicions! Could anything have been more thoroughly horrible and atrocious! It certainly betrayed how deep was the malignant hatred which she had ever borne to myself, and of which her daughter was now required to bear a portion. What a volume of human depravity was opened on my sight, by that single utterance of this wretched mother. Guilt and sin! ye are, indeed, the masters everywhere! How universal is your dominion! How ye rage--how ye riot among souls, and minds, and fancies--never utterly overthrown anywhere--busy always--everywhere--sovereign in how many hapless regions of the heart! Who is pure among men? Who can be sure of himself for a day--an hour? Precious few! None, certainly, who do not distrust their own strength with a humility only to be won from prayer--prayer coupled with moderate desires, and the presence of a constant thought, which teaches that time is a mere agent of eternity, and he who works for the one only, will not even be secure of peace during the period for which he works. Truly, he who lives not for the future is the very last who may reasonably hope to enjoy the blessings of the present. But this was not the season, nor was mine the mood, for moral reflections of any sort. My secret was known! That was everything. When the conduct of William Edgerton had become such, as to awaken the notice of third persons, I was justified in exacting from him the heavy responsibility he had incurred. The vague, indistinct conviction had long floated before my mind, that I would be required to take his life. The period which was to render this task necessary, was that which had now arrived--when it had been seen by others--not interested like myself--that he had passed the bounds of propriety. Of course, I was arguing in a circle, from which I should have found it impossible to extricate myself. Thousands might have seen that I was jealous, without being able to see any just cause for my jealousy. It was, however, quite enough for a proud spirit like my own, that its secret fear should be revealed. It did not much matter, after this, whether my suspicions were, or were not causeless. It was enough that they were known--that busy, meddling women, and men about town, should distinguish me with a finger--should say: “His wife is very pretty and--very charitable!” “Ha! ha! ha!” I, too, could laugh, under such musings, and in the spirit of Mrs. Delaney--late Clifford.