You told me you were going to K----. You
gave me money, and promised to write to me. You were so sweet, so
gentle, so pitying, so beautiful, that I loved you tenfold more than
ever. Your life was one of labor, and drudgery, and danger. If I could
only make you a lady, I thought! My half-crazed brain caught at the
idea, and held it fast--if I could only make you a lady!
"Like lightning there dawned upon me a plan. The man who had wronged us
all so unutterably was rich and powerful--why should I not use him?
Surely, it could not be wrong--it would be a just and righteous
reparation. He need not know you were my child--with that knowledge I
would far sooner have seen you dead than dependent upon him--but let
him think you were his very own (Mary Dane's) dead child, and where
would be the obligation?
"I could neither sleep nor eat for thinking of this plot of mine. Your
image, bright and beautiful in silken robes and sparkling jewels, waited
upon by obedient servants, a life of ease and luxury for my darling whom
I had deserted--a lady among the ladies of the land--haunted me by night
and by day.
Pages:
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393