all
the winter at Paris, and at last arranged our coming home very
suddenly. I think he was disappointed in London, for he went out at
once, and came back very much discomposed. He even scolded me for not
having married; and when I tried to coax him out of it, he said it was
for my good, and he wanted to see after his business in Peru. I put
him in mind how dear granny had begged him to stay at home; but he told
me I knew nothing about it, and that he would have gone long ago if I
had not been an obstinate girl, and had known how to play my cards. I
said something about going home, but that made him more furious than
ever. But, after all, it is not fair to tell all about the last few
months. Dr. Hastings says his attack had been a long time coming on,
and he must have been previously harassed.'

'And you had to bear with it all?'

'He was never unkind. Oh, no; but it was sad to see him so miserable,
and not to know why--and so uncertain, too! Sometimes he would insist
on giving grand parties, and yet he was angry with the expense of my
poor little pony-carriage. I don't think he always quite knew what he
was about; and while he hoped to pull through, I suppose he was afraid
of any one guessing at his embarrassments. On this day fortnight he
was reading his letters at breakfast--I saw there was something amiss,
and said something stupid about the hot rolls, because he could not
bear me to notice. I think that roused him, for he got up, but he
tottered, and by the time I came to him he seemed to slip down into my
arms, quite insensible. The surgeon in the village bled him, and he
came to himself, but could not speak. I had almost sent for you then,
but Dr. Hastings came, and thought he would recover, and I did not
venture. Indeed, Jane forbade me; she is a sort of lioness and her
whelps. Well, the next day came Mr. Morrison, who is the Mr.
Richardson to this concern, and by-and-by he asked to see me. He kept
the doctor in the next room. I believe he thought I should faint or
make some such performance, for he began about his painful duty, and
frightened me lest my poor uncle should be worse, only he was not the
right man to tell me. So at last it came out that we were ruined, and
I was not an heiress at all, at all! If it had not been for poor Uncle
Oliver, I should have cried 'Hurrah!' I did nearly laugh to hear him
complimenting my firmness. I believe the history is this:--Hearing that
this place w