the doctors call
it, as it's a misery to see her, and he never coming nigh her.'

'Once,' murmured Edna, who had several times tried to interrupt.

'Once, ay, for one hour at Christmas.'

'He is known here; he can't venture often,' interposed the wife; and
there was a further whisper, 'he couldn't stay, he couldn't bear it.'

But the dejected accents were lost in the old woman's voice,--'Now, sir,
if you know him or his family, I wouldn't be wishing to do him no
hinjury, nor to ruinate his prospects, being, as he says, that the rich
lady will make him her hare; but, sir, if you have any power with him as
a godly minister or the friend of his youth maybe--'

'He is only waiting till he has a curacy--a house of his own--mother!'

'No, Edna, hold your peace. It is not fit that I should see my only
child cut down as the grass of the field, and left a burthen upon me, a
lone woman, while he is eating of the fat of the land. I say it is
scandalous that he should leave her here, and take no notice; not coming
near her since one hour at Christmas, and only just sending her a few
pounds now and then; not once coming to see his own child!'

'He could not; he is abroad!' pleaded Edna.

'He tells you he is abroad!' exclaimed Robert.

'He went to Paris at Easter. He promised to come when he comes home.'

'You poor thing!' burst out Robert. 'He is deceiving you! He came back
at the end of three weeks. I heard from my sister that she saw him on
Sunday.'

Robert heartily rued his abruptness, as the poor young wife sank back in
a deadly swoon. The grandmother hurried to apply remedies, insisting
that the gentleman should not go, and continuing all the time her version
of her daughter's wrongs. Her last remnant of patience had vanished on
learning this deception, and she only wanted to publish her daughter's
claims, proceeding to establish them by hastening in search of the
marriage certificate as soon as Edna had begun to revive, but sooner than
Robert was satisfied to be left alone with the inanimate, helpless form
on the couch.

He was startled when Edna raised her hand, and strove to speak,--'Sir, do
not tell--do not tell my mother where he is. She must not fret him--she
must not tell his friends--he would be angry.'

She ceased as her mother returned with the certificate of the marriage,
contracted last July before the registrar of the huge suburban Union to
which Wrapworth belonged, the centre of which was s