Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-02-18
CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)
Zzia's,ss MRsE<s;
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CHAPTER XV.-(COntinued)
Mrs. Henchard had been no practical
scribe. In sealing up the sheet, which
was folded and tucked In without an en-.
yelope in the old.fashiOned way, she had
overlaid the injunction with large mass
Of wax without the requisite under-touch
Of the same. The seal had cracked and
the letter was open. Hcnchard had no
reason to suppose the restriction one Of
serious weight, and his feeling for his
late wife had not been Of the nature Of
deem respect. "Some trining fancy or
other Of poor Susan's, I suppose" he said;
and without curiosity he allowed his eyes
TO scan the letter:
"My Dear Michaei-ror the good Of all
three Of us, have kept one thing q secret
from you till now. hope you will under.
stand why; I think you will, though per.
haps you may not forgive me. But, dear
Michael, I have done II for the best. l
shall be In my grave when you read this.
and Elizabeth Jane will have q home.
. Don't curse me, Mike-think Of how was
situated. I can hardly write II. Eliza.
beth Jane II not your Elizabeth Jane
the child who was In my arms when you
sold me. No; she died three months after
that, and this living one Ii my other hus.
bands. christened her by the same
name we had given to the first, and she
nlled up the ache I felt at the others loss.
Michael. I am dying. and I might have
held my tongue; hut I could not. Tell
her husband of this, or not, as you may
Judge; and forgive, II you can, woman
you once deeply wronged, as she fOrgives
you. SUSAN HENCHAND.
Her husband regarded the paper 40 II
Il were q window pane through which he
saw for miles. His lip twitched, his eye
had q 6attened aspect, and he seemed to
compress his frame, as II to bear better.
His usual habit was not to consider
whether destiny were hard upon him or
not-the shape Of his ideas In cases Of
.afHiction being simply moody, II am to
suffer, perceive. 30 much scOurging as
this, then, Is for me-" But now through
his passionate head there stormcd this
thousht--that the blasting disclosure was
what he had deserved.
Morning came after night OF unrest,
and with It the necessity for course. He
was far too self.willed to recede from q
position, especially as It would involve
humiliation. His daughter he had assert.
ed her to be, and his daughter she should
always think herself. no matter what
hypocrisy It involved. But he was Ill
prepared for the first step In this new
situation. The moment he came into the
breakfast room Elizabeth Jane advanced
with open confidence to him and took him
BY the arm. =.
II have thought and thought oil night
Of It." she said, frankly. "And see that
everything must be rs you say. And
am going to look upon sou as the father
that you are, and not call you Mr..
Henchard any more. II Is 70 plain to me
now. Indeed, father, It Is. For, Of course
you would not have done half the things
you have done for me, and let me have
my own way 40 entirely. and bought these
presents, II I had only been your step
daughter. He-Mr. Newson-whom my
poor mother married by such strange
mistake, was very kind-oh, 30 kind! But
that IL not the same thing 40 being ones
real father after ALL Now, father. break
fast 10 ready" said she. cheerfully.
Henchard bent and kissed her cheek
The moment and the act he had contem.
plated for weeks with q thrill Of pleas
ure; yet II was no less than vast miser.
able insipidity to him now that It had
come. His reinstallation Of her mother
had been chiefly for the girls sake. and
the fruition Of the whole scheme was such
.dust aud ashes m this!