England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
To-night she scarcely felt the full pain of this. It was almost a
relief, in the midst of all the chaos, to have this settled line of
action around which no doubt must linger. Yes, she would instantly break
off her engagement. Now she turned her thoughts to her two former facts.
Her father was guilty. Her father was dying. She, in an underhand way,
for which even now she hated herself had discovered her father's
long-buried crime. But she had not alone discovered it. Another had also
gone to see that will in Somerset House; another with eyes far more
practised than hers had read those fatal words. And that other, he could
act. He would act; he would expose the guilty and dying old man, for he
was _the other trustee_.
Charlotte was very ignorant as to how the law would act with regard to
such a crime as her father's. Doubtless there would be a public trial, a
public disgrace. He would be dragged into the prisoner's dock; his old
white head would be bowed low there, and he was a dying man.
In the first shock and horror of finding that the father she had always
almost worshipped could be guilty of such a terrible crime, a great rush
of anger and almost hardness had steeled her heart against him; but now
tenderer feelings came back. Pity, sad-eyed and gentle, knocked at her
heart, and when she let in pity, love quickly resumed its throne. Yes;
whatever his crime, whatever his former life, she loved that old man.
That white-headed, broken-hearted man, so close to the grave, was her
father, and she his only child. When she spoke to Sandy Wilson to-day
she had felt no desire to save the guilty from his rightful fate. But
now her feelings were different. A great cry arose in her heart on his
behalf. Could she screen him? could she screen him from his fate? In her
agony she rose and flung herself on her knees. "My God, help me; my God,
don't forsake me; save my father. Save him, save him, save him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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