e. By Alicia's advice, I was to describe
her as having been one of my fellow servants during the time I was
employed under my kind master and mistress in London. There was no fear
now of my mother taking any harm from the shock of a great surprise. Her
health had improved during the three weeks' interval. On the first evening
when she was able to take her old place at tea time, I summoned my
courage, and told her I was going to be married. The poor soul flung her
arms round my neck, and burst out crying for joy. "Oh, Francis!" she says,
"I am so glad you will have somebody to comfort you and care for you when
I am gone!" As for my aunt Chance, you can anticipate what _she_ did,
without being told. Ah, me! If there had really been any prophetic virtue
in the cards, what a terrible warning they might have given us that night!
It was arranged that I was to bring my promised wife to dinner at the
cottage on the next day.

X

I own I was proud of Alicia when I led her into our little parlor at the
appointed time. She had never, to my mind, looked so beautiful as she
looked that day. I never noticed any other woman's dress--I noticed hers
as carefully as if I had been a woman myself! She wore a black silk gown,
with plain collar and cuffs, and a modest lavender-colored bonnet, with
one white rose in it placed at the side. My mother, dressed in her Sunday
best, rose up, all in a flutter, to welcome her daughter-in-law that was
to be. She walked forward a few steps, half smiling, half in tears--she
looked Alicia full in the face--and suddenly stood still. Her cheeks
turned white in an instant; her eyes stared in horror; her hands dropped
helplessly at her sides. She staggered back, and fell into the arms of my
aunt, standing behind her. It was no swoon--she kept her senses. Her eyes
turned slowly from Alicia to me. "Francis," she said, "does that woman's
face remind you of nothing?".

Before I could answer, she pointed to her writing-desk on the table at the
fireside. "Bring it!" she cried, "bring it!".

At the same moment I felt Alicia's hand on my shoulder, and saw Alicia's
face red with anger--and no wonder!

"What does this mean?" she asked. "Does your mother want to insult me?".

I said a few words to quiet her; what they were I don't remember--I was so
confused and astonished at the time. Before I had done, I heard my mother
behind me.

My aunt had fetched her desk. She had opened it; she had taken a paper
from