by
the speediest and the fullest explanation that words could convey. On
hearing him express himself to this effect, I offered him the original
letter, which I had kept for his inspection. He thanked me, and
declined to look at it, saying that he had seen the copy, and that he
was quite willing to leave the original in our hands.

The statement itself, on which he immediately entered, was as simple
and satisfactory as I had all along anticipated it would be.

Mrs. Catherick, he informed us, had in past years laid him under some
obligations for faithful services rendered to his family connections
and to himself. She had been doubly unfortunate in being married to a
husband who had deserted her, and in having an only child whose mental
faculties had been in a disturbed condition from a very early age.
Although her marriage had removed her to a part of Hampshire far
distant from the neighbourhood in which Sir Percival's property was
situated, he had taken care not to lose sight of her--his friendly
feeling towards the poor woman, in consideration of her past services,
having been greatly strengthened by his admiration of the patience and
courage with which she supported her calamities. In course of time the
symptoms of mental affliction in her unhappy daughter increased to such
a serious extent, as to make it a matter of necessity to place her
under proper medical care. Mrs. Catherick herself recognised this
necessity, but she also felt the prejudice common to persons occupying
her respectable station, against allowing her child to be admitted, as
a pauper, into a public Asylum. Sir Percival had respected this
prejudice, as he respected honest independence of feeling in any rank
of life, and had resolved to mark his grateful sense of Mrs.
Catherick's early attachment to the interests of himself and his
family, by defraying the expense of her daughter's maintenance in a
trustworthy private Asylum. To her mother's regret, and to his own
regret, the unfortunate creature had discovered the share which
circumstances had induced him to take in placing her under restraint,
and had conceived the most intense hatred and distrust of him in
consequence. To that hatred and distrust--which had expressed itself
in various ways in the Asylum--the anonymous letter, written after her
escape, was plainly attributable. If Miss Halcombe's or Mr. Gilmore's
recollection of the document did not confirm that view, or if they
wished fo