England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Families -- Fiction; Murder -- Fiction
“Until Mary Anne began to study, there were no books. We were so poor
that we had to sell everything, books and all. This room is the only one
in the house that is furnished decently. My grand-daughter is my only
comfort; she is a good girl, Leonard. She takes after the Galleys to
look at, but she’s a Campaigne at heart, and she’s proud, though you
wouldn’t think it, because she’s such a short bunch of a figure, not
like us. She’s my only comfort. We talk sometimes of going away and
living together--she and I--it would be happier for us. My grandson is
not--is not--altogether what one would wish. To be sure, he has a
dreadful struggle. It’s poverty, poverty, poverty. Oh, Leonard!”--she
caught his hand--“pray against poverty. It is poverty which brings out
all the bad qualities.”
Leonard interrupted a monologue which seemed likely to go on without
end. Besides, he had now grasped the situation.
“I will come again,” he said, “if I may.”
“Oh, if you may! If you only knew what a joy, what a happiness, it is
only to look into your face! It is my brother’s face--my father’s
face--oh, come again--come again.”
“I will come again, then, and soon. Meantime, remember that I am your
nephew--or grand-nephew, which is the same thing. If in any way I can
bring some increase to your comforts----”
“No, no, my dear boy. Not that way,” she cried hastily. “I have been
poor, but never--in that way. My father, who ought to help me, has done
nothing, and if he will not, nobody shall. I would, if I could, have my
rights; no woman of our family, except me, but was an heiress. And,
besides--_he_”--she pointed to the front of the house, where was the
office of her grandson--“he will take it all himself.”
“Well, then, but if----”
“If I must, I will. Don’t give him money. He is better without it. He
will speculate in houses and lose it all. Don’t, Leonard.”
“I will not--unless for your sake.”
“No--no--not for my sake. But come again, dear boy, and we will talk
over the family history. I dare say there are quantities of misfortunes
that I have left out--oh, what a happy day it has been to me!”
He pressed her hand again. “Have faith, dear lady. We cannot be crushed
in revenge for any crime by any other person. Do not think of past
sorrows. Do not tremble at imaginary dangers. The future is in the hands
of Justice, not of Revenge.”
They were brave words, but in his heart there lurked, say, the
possibilities of apprehension.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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