"You do not know, you cannot guess, or you would
never reproach me thus."
"But I do know that you kept silence, and that I, who thought myself so
honorable and high, am branded with disgrace, am the son of a--"
"Stay!" and the dying man gathered all his remaining strength for the
reproof. "You shall not call me by that name again. You shall not speak
thus to your sister, the noblest woman and the most faithful daughter
God ever gave to the world. I bound her by a solemn oath not to speak,
even had she wished to, which she did not, for I was her father; your
father, too, and I know that in some respects you are not worthy to
touch the hem of her garment. Say, Mr. Sanford," and he turned to the
rector, who had stood looking on, stupefied with what he heard, "did
Hannah do wrong, not to bear witness against me?"
"Hannah never does wrong," the rector said, rousing himself, and going a
step nearer to her he took her cold, clammy hand between his own, and
held it there, while he continued: "Mr. Jerrold, you reproach your
sister for her silence, but consider what her speaking would have done
for you! If you feel it so keenly when only you and I know of it, what
would you have felt had the whole world been made cognizant of the fact?
I do not know the circumstances of your father's crime.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151