“It will be better for you to stay here,” said he to Leon, as he was
leaving, in a significant tone.
“Oh, I'll stay,” said Leon. “If you act square, that's all I want. Give
me those notes and bonds, and I'll never trouble you or yours again.”
Before leaving he obtained from Leon further information about his first
marriage with Miss Fortescue. This he communicated to Leon's wife, whom
he found waiting for him in great suspense. As soon as she heard it she
set out for London to find the witness mentioned by Leon; after which
she intended to go to Falkirk in search of the clergyman.
After parting with Leon's wife, Reginald left by the first train, _en
route_ for Dr. Morton's asylum at Lichfield, in accordance with
Leon's directions. On the middle of the following day he reached the
place.
He came there accompanied by two officers of the law, who had a warrant
for the arrest of Dr. Morton on a charge of conspiracy and illegal
imprisonment. That distinguished physician came down to see his
visitors, under the impression that one of them was a patient, and was
very much surprised when he found himself under arrest. Still more
surprised was he when Reginald asked him, fiercely, after Lady Dudleigh.
In a few moments the door of Lady Dudleigh's room was flung open, and
the almost despairing inmate found herself in the arms of her son. She
looked feeble and emaciated, though not so much so as Reginald had
feared. She had known too much of the sorrows of life to yield
altogether to this new calamity. Her chief grief had been about others,
the fear that they might have become the prey of the villain who had
shut her in here; but in spite of her terrible suspense, she struggled
against the gloom of her situation, and tried to hope for release. It
had come at last, and with it came also the news that there was no
longer any need for her or for Reginald to take any proceedings against
the guilty husband and father, since he had been struck down by a more
powerful arm.
When they went away, Dr. Morton was taken away also. In due time he was
tried on the charge above mentioned. He showed, however, that Lady
Dudleigh had been put under his care by Sir Lionel himself, and in the
usual way; that Sir Lionel had specified the nature of her insanity to
consist in the belief that she was his wife, and that so long as she
maintained that belief he thought her actually insane. He showed that,
apart from that confinement which he had deemed requisite, she had been
treated with no unnecessary cruelty. Many other things he also showed,
by means of which he contrived to obtain an acquittal. Still, so much
came out in the course of the trial, and so very narrow was his escape,
and so strong was his fear of being re-arrested on other charges, that
he concluded to emigrate to another country, and this he did without
delay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account