husband’s share in it, and my being resorted to. She

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

did not know that the girl was dead. Her hope had been, she said

in great distress, to show her, in secret, a woman’s sympathy. Her

hope had been to avert the wrath of Heaven from a House that had

long been hateful to the suffering many.

“She had reasons for believing that there was a young sister

living, and her greatest desire was, to help that sister. I could tell

her nothing but that there was such a sister; beyond that, I knew

nothing. Her inducement to come to me, relying on my confidence,

had been the hope that I could tell her the name and place of

abode. Whereas, to this wretched hour I am ignorant of both.

“These scraps of paper fail me. One was taken from me, with a

warning yesterday. I must finish my record today.

“She was a good, compassionate lady, and not happy in her

marriage. How could she be! The brother distrusted and disliked

her, and his influence was all opposed to her; she stood in dread of

him, and in dread of her husband too. When I handed her down to

the door, there was a child, a pretty boy from two to three years

old, in her carriage.

“‘For his sake, Doctor,’ she said, pointing to him in tears. ‘I

would do all I can to make what poor amends I can. He will never

prosper in his inheritance otherwise. I have a pres