The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-06-03
THU 4lAoK ROBE.
BY wILKIE COLLINS.

l
matter how. Our circus was in Devon
shire at the time. My jealous rage
msddened me, and I had wicked ad
mirer in q man who was old enough tt
be my father. let him suppose tha,
the way to my favor lay through help
ing my revenge ON the woman who was
about to take my place. He found the
money to have you watched at home and
abroad; he put the false announcement
Of my death in the daily newspapers to
complete your delusion; he baffled the
Inquiries made through your lawyers to
obtain positive proof Of my death. And
last. and lin those wicked days) best
service Of all, he took me to Brussels
and posted me at the door of the English
church, SO that your lawful wife with
her marriage certificate in her hand)
was the first person who met you and
the mock Mrs. Winterfeld on your way
from the altar to the wedding breakfast.
~ own it, to my shame. / Itriumphed
In the mischief I had done.
"But I had deserved to suffer; and
did suffer, when I heard that Miss
Eyrecourts mother and her two friends
took her away from you-with her own
entire approwl-at the church-door,
and restored her to society without a
stain on her reputation. How the Brus.
sells marriage was kept secret could
not find out. And when 1 threatened
them with exposure got lawyers let
ter, and was advised in my own interests
to hold my tongue. The rector has
since told me that the marriage could
be lawfully declared null and void, and
that the circumstances would excuse
you before any Judge in England. I
can now we'll understand that people
with rank and money to help them can
keep their own secrets and avoid ex-
posure, to which the poor, in their
places, must submit.
Gone more duty (the last) still re-
mains to DO done.
II declare solemnly, on my deathbed,
that you acted in perfect good faith
when you married Miss Eyrecourt. You
have not only been man cruelty injured
by me, but vilely insulted and misjudged
BY the two Eyrecourts, and by the lord
and lady who encouraged them to set
you down as q villain guilty of heartless
and shameless deceit.
at is my conviction that these peo-
pie might have done more than misin-
terpret your honorable submission to
the circumstances in which you were
placed. They might have prosecuted
you for bigamy, If they could have got
me to appear against you. I am CON-
forted when remember that I did make
some small amends. / kept out of their
way and yours from that day to this.
"I am told that I owe it to you to
leave proof of my death behind me.
"When the doctor writes my certif-
cate, he will mention the mark by which
I may be identified, if this reaches you
las hope and believe it willy between
the time of my death and my burial.
The rector, who will close and seal these
lines as soon as the breath is ont Of my
body, will add what he can to identify
me; and the landlady Of this house is
ready to answer any question that may
be put to her. This time you may be
really assured that you are free. When
I am buried, and they show you my
nameless grave in the churchyard, 1
know your kind heart die, Bernard,
In the firm belief that you will forgive
me.
"There was one thing more that 1
had to ask Of you, relating to q poor
creature who is m the room with us at
this moment. But, oh, / am 30 weary
Mr.. Fennick will tell you what it is. Say
TO yourself sometimes-perhaps when
you have married some lady who is
worthy OF you--there was good as we'll
~ bad in poor Emma. Farewell"