England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Guardian and ward -- Fiction; Orphans -- Fiction
Before leaving Leigh, we saw my grandfather, who received us kindly, and
bade Cornelius be fond of me. We have now been married three years. He
declares he is more in love with me than on the first day, and I believe
it. Kate says "nonsense!" but I know well enough she likes us to be so
fond of one another. She, too, is very happy; for though she agrees with
me that Cornelius has not yet obtained the position he deserves to have,
yet, as he is universally acknowledged to be a genuine artist, as his
pictures are prized, and sell well, she assures me that, spite of
professional jealousy, he will one day be held second to none. I tell her
I am sure of it. Cornelius laughs at us, and thinks the very same thing
in his heart, for he works harder, and, though he will not confess it, is
more eager and ambitious than ever.
We are, as we have always been, a good deal together; for we have no
children to divert my attention. This is the only sore point with Kate.
It seems such a thing never happened before in the O'Reilly family, and
she cannot make it out. But Cornelius and I do not mind; we are young,
happy and leave the future to Providence.
It was last year, when Cornelius went to Spain--for he did go after all,
but only for a few months, and I did not like to leave Kate, who seemed
to me rather unwell--that I began this narrative. I had just received a
letter from William Murray, who wrote to tell me that he was married and
happy. My past life seemed to rise before me; so, to recal it, and divert
my mind from dwelling too much on the absence of Cornelius, I one evening
wrote a few pages, to which, day after day, more were added.
Oh my husband! my handsome, gifted husband! I love you much, very much,
more than I shall ever tell you, and far more than I have dared to write
even here; but if you should some day chance to see that which I never
meant to be seen, know, at least, that to your wife, there never was a
pleasanter task than thus to record the story of her long love for you,
as child, girl, and woman.
THE END.
PRINTING OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER.
Typographical errors silently corrected:
Volume 1
Chapter 5 : =you no lessons.= replaced by =you no lessons?=
Chapter 11 : =in a lone tone= replaced by =in a low one=
Chapter 11 : =was it not Mr. O'Reilly= replaced by =was it not, Mr.
O'Reilly=
Chapter 13 : =Well, what is it?= replaced by ="Well, what is it?=
Chapter 14 : =examined now.= replaced by =examined now?=
Chapter 15 : =it I saw= replaced by =if I saw=
Chapter 19 : =rocks at Leigh,= replaced by =rocks at Leigh,"=
Volume 2
Chapter 1 : =hastily checked,= replaced by =hastily checked.=
Chapter 2 : =knew me not."= replaced by =knew me not.=
Chapter 6 : =I forget it= replaced by =I forgot it=
Chapter 6 : =thing. I am satisfied= replaced by =thing, I am satisfied=
Chapter 6 : =creature you are?= replaced by =creature you are!=
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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