It is a fearful blow to him, but he is fortunate,
perhaps, in being unmarried; I have urged him to try and get
employment elsewhere, but he insists upon facing the situation in
the place where he is known, with a fantastic idea, which is at the
same time noble and chivalrous, of doing penance. Of course he has
no prospects whatever; but I am sure of this, that he grieves over
my lost inheritance far more than he grieves over his own ruin. His
great misery is that some years ago he refused an offer from
Messrs. F---- to amalgamate the two firms.
I feared at first that I might have to sacrifice the rest of my
money as well--money slowly accumulated out of my own labours. And
the relief of finding that this will not be necessary is immense.
We must sell our house at once, and find a smaller one. At present
I am not afraid of the changed circumstances; indeed, if I could
only recover my power of writing, we need not leave our home. The
temptation is to get a book written somehow, because I could make
money by any stuff just now. On the other hand, it will almost be
to me a relief to part from the home so haunted with the memory of
Alec--though that will be a dreadful pain to Maud and Maggie.
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