"The interesting penitent (expecting Lady Janet's visit) was, of course,
discovered in a touching domestic position! She had a foundling baby
asleep on her lap; and she was teaching the alphabet to an ugly little
vagabond girl whose acquaintance she had first made in the street. Just
the sort of artful _tableau vivant_ to impose on an old lady--was it
not?
"You will understand what followed, when Lady Janet opened her
matrimonial negotiation. Having perfected herself in her part, Mercy
Merrick, to do her justice, was not the woman to play it badly. The
most magnanimous sentiments flowed from her lips. She declared that her
future life was devoted to acts of charity, typified, of course, by the
foundling infant and the ugly little girl. However she might personally
suffer, whatever might be the sacrifice of her own feelings--observe how
artfully this was put, to insinuate that she was herself in love with
him!--she could not accept from Mr. Julian Gray an honor of which she
was unworthy. Her gratitude to him and her interest in him alike forbade
her to compromise his brilliant future by consenting to a marriage which
would degrade him in the estimation of all his friends. She thanked him
(with tears); she thanked Lady Janet (with more tears); but she dare
not, in the interests of _his_ honor and _his_ happiness, accept the
hand that he offered to her. God bless and comfort him; and God help her
to bear with her hard lot!
"The object of this contemptible comedy is plain enough to my mind. She
is simply holding off (Julian, as you know, is a poor man) until the
influence of Lady Janet's persuasion is backed by the opening of Lady
Janet's purse. In one word--Settlements! But for the profanity of the
woman's language, and the really lamentable credulity of the poor old
lady, the whole thing would make a fit subject for a burlesque.
"But the saddest part of the story is still to come.
"In due course of time the lady's decision was communicated to Julian
Gray. He took leave of his senses on the spot. Can you believe it?--he
has resigned his curacy! At a time when the church is thronged every
Sunday to hear him preach, this madman shuts the door and walks out of
the pulpit. Even Lady Janet was not far enough gone in folly to abet
him in this. She remonstrated, like the rest of his friends. Perfectly
useless! He had but one answer to everything they could say: 'My career
is closed.' What stuff!
"You will ask, naturally enough, what this perverse man is going to do
next. I don't scruple to say that he is bent on committing suicide.
Pray do not be alarmed! There is no fear of the pistol, the rope, or the
river. Julian is simply courting death--within the limits of the law.