avated
light than yours; but my conscience is awakened to a conviction of my
guilt. Yours, I fear, is not. Let me conjure you to return home, and
endeavor, by your future kindness and fidelity to your wife, to make her
all the amends in your power. By a life of virtue and religion, you may
yet become a valuable member of society, and secure happiness both here
and hereafter."

I begged leave to visit her retirement next week, not in continuation of
our amour, but as a friend solicitous to know her situation and welfare.
Unable to speak, she only bowed assent. The stage being now ready, I
whispered some tender things in her ear, and kissing her cheek, which
was all she would permit, suffered her to depart.

My body remains behind; but my soul, if I have any, went with her.

This was a horrid lecture, Charles. She brought every charge against me
which a fruitful and gloomy imagination could suggest. But I hope when
she recovers she will resume her former cheerfulness, and become as kind
and agreeable as ever. My anxiety for her safety is very great. I trust,
however, it will soon be removed, and peace and pleasure be restored to
your humble servant,

PETER SANFORD.

LETTER LXXI.

TO MRS. LUCY SUMNER.

HARTFORD.

The drama is now closed! A tragical one it has proved!

How sincerely, my dear Mrs. Sumner, must the friends of our departed
Eliza sympathize with each other, and with her afflicted, bereaved
parent!

You have doubtless seen the account in the public papers which gave us
the melancholy intelligence. But I will give you a detail of
circumstances.

A few days after my last was written, we heard that Major Sanford's
property was attached, and he a prisoner in his own house. He was the
last man to whom we wished to apply for information respecting the
forlorn wanderer; yet we had no other resource. And after waiting a
fortnight in the most cruel suspense, we wrote a billet, entreating him,
if possible, to give some intelligence concerning her. He replied that
he was unhappily deprived of all means of knowing himself, but hoped
soon to relieve his own and our anxiety about her.

In this situation we continued till a neighbor (purposely, we since
concluded) sent us a Boston paper. Mrs. Wharton took it, and unconscious
of its contents, observed that the perusal might divert her a few
moments. She read for some time, when it suddenly dropped upon the
floor. She clasped her hands together, and raising he