ntary duties would prevent me
from seeing her for a couple of months.

"In this position matters were for about a fortnight or three weeks,
when, at last, a letter reached me from my sister-in-law, giving a
detailed account of my wife's death, and stating that she and Miss
Norton were about to make a tour to Italy, for the purpose of acquiring
the language. This letter was a diabolical falsehood, Sir Edward; but it
accomplished its purpose. She had gleaned enough of intelligence in the
family, by observation and otherwise, to believe that my wife's death
alone would enable me, in a short time, to become united to Lady Emily;
and that if my marriage with her took place whilst her sister lived, I
believing her to be dead, she would punish me for what she considered my
neglect of her, and my unjustifiable attachment to another woman during
Maria's life. All communication ceased between us. My wife was unable
to write; but from what her sister stated to her, probably with
exaggerations, her pride prevented her from holding any correspondence
with a husband who refused to acknowledge his marriage with her, and
whose affections had been transferred to another. At all events, the
blow took effect. Believing her dead, and deeming myself at liberty, I
married Lady Emily, after a lapse of six months, exactly as many weeks
before the death of my first wife. Of course you perceive now, my
friend, that my last marriage was null and void; and that, hurried on by
the eager impulses of love and ambition, I did, without knowing it, an
act which has made my children illegitimate. It is true, my union with
Lady Emily was productive to me of great results. I was created an Irish
peer, in consequence of the support I gave to my wife's connections. The
next step was an earldom, with an English peerage, together with such
an accession of property in right of my wife, as made me rich beyond
my wishes. So far, you may say, I was a successful man; but the world
cannot judge of the heart, and its recollections. My second wife was
a virtuous woman, high, haughty, and correct; but notwithstanding our
early enthusiastic affection, the experiences of domestic life soon
taught us to feel, that, after all, our dispositions and tastes
were unsuitable. She was fond of show, of equipage, of fashionable
amusements, and that empty dissipation which constitutes, the substance
of aristocratic existence. I, on the contrary, when not engaged in
public life, wit