You do not know what I risk to
obtain this. I have risen from my bed to come to you. I have a fire
here!" She pressed her hand to her brow. "Oh, take me to her!"
"Madam, I will do anything for you. But be advised; trust to my knowledge
of human nature. What you require is madness. Gracious Heavens! you two
are rivals, and when rivals meet there's murder or deadly mischief."
"Ah! if you knew my sorrow, you would not thwart me. Oh, Mr. Triplet!
little did I think you were as cruel as the rest." So then this cruel
monster whimpered out that he should do any folly she insisted upon.
"Good, kind Mr. Triplet!" said Mrs. Vane. "Let me look in your face? Yes,
I see you are honest and true. I will tell you all." Then she poured in
his ear her simple tale, unadorned and touching as Judah's speech to
Joseph. She told him how she loved her husband; how he had loved her; how
happy they were for the first six months; how her heart sank when he left
her; how he had promised she should join him, and on that hope she lived.
"But for two months he had ceased to speak of this, and I grew heart-sick
waiting for the summons that never came. At last I felt I should die if I
did not see him; so I plucked up courage and wrote that I must come to
him. He did not forbid me, so I left our country home. Oh, sir! I cannot
make you know how my heart burned to be by his side.
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