‘Poor Nat!’ she cried out to him, ‘Nat, Nat--poor Nat!--and so you would be giving your last poor coins to me. I don’t want them, dear. I can get work to do in London. I won’t do more hurt to you, who are the only friend I have. Nat, I will confess to you. I opened the Squire’s letter, although I knew it was wrong--I did, I did!--And the bank note dropped out, and I never noticed it, until I had fastened the letter and given it to you. I’m a wicked girl. I didn’t care if I did you harm--I wanted to see what Mr Lee wrote of James and me .... and now James is .... dead .... and I’m a wanderer again, and I must go to London, and live by my singing there .... I must stay here to-night .... though I know that James is dead .... I knew it from the first .... he is dead .... oh, he is dead .... and then I will get away from this place and the river--and you will never see me, or hear of me again.’ After a while, still clinging to him, ‘I will write to the Squire, and send him the note. It doesn’t hurt _now_ if I do harm to myself, and if I tell him the truth I hope it will do you good .... And you mustn’t think hardly of me, poor, foolish .... though I have been naughty, and have led you into wrong .... I must kiss your hand .... oh, I cannot help my crying .... I want to tell you that you have been kind to me .... Oh, don’t tremble so much, dear, I cannot bear to feel it .... I have no other friend in the world .... good-bye, good-bye ....’ Blind, suffocated, almost past all consciousness, he felt that she slipped from his arms, and then she was gone. An hour later, in intensest midnight blackness, through which the lights in the streets shone at intervals, Nat found his way through the night-time, with faltering footsteps, as one scarce waked from a dream. He must find his sister, his mother, and give them what help he could; in time he might be able to think how to help himself. The great bell had tolled, and now every bell was ringing .... he must get back to the river .... he went on through the night. CHAPTER XXXV THE GENERAL CONFESSION AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE