"Two hours later--I give you my word of honor I am not
exaggerating--Mercy Merrick was established at Julian's bedside.
"The excuse, of course, was that it was her duty not to let any private
scruples of her own stand in the way, when a medical authority had
declared that she might save the patient's life. You will not be
surprised to hear that I withdrew from the scene. The physician followed
my example--after having written his soothing prescription, and having
been grossly insulted by the local practitioner's refusing to make use
of it. I went back in the doctor's carriage. He spoke most feelingly and
properly. Without giving any positive opinion, I could see that he
had abandoned all hope of Julian's recovery. 'We are in the hands of
Providence, Mr. Holmcroft;' those were his last words as he set me down
at my mother's door.
"I have hardly the heart to go on. If I studied my own wishes, I should
feel inclined to stop here.
"Let me, at least, hasten to the end. In two or three days' time I
received my first intelligence of the patient and his nurse. Lady
Janet informed me that he had recognized her. When I heard this I felt
prepared for what was to come. The next report announced that he was
gaining strength, and the next that he was out of danger. Upon this
Lady Janet returned to Mablethorpe House. I called there a week ago--and
heard that he had been removed to the sea-side. I called yesterday--and
received the latest information from her ladyship's own lips. My pen
almost refuses to write it. Mercy Merrick has consented to marry him!
"An outrage on Society--that is how my mother and my sisters view
it; that is how _you_ will view it too. My mother has herself struck
Julian's name off her invitation-list. The servants have their orders,
if he presumes to call: 'Not at home.' "I am unhappily only too certain that I am correct in writing to you
of this disgraceful marriage as of a settled thing. Lady Janet went the
length of showing me the letters--one from Julian, the other from the
woman herself. Fancy Mercy Merrick in correspondence with Lady Janet
Roy! addressing her as 'My dear Lady Janet,' and signing, 'Yours
affectionately!' "I had not the patience to read either of the letters through. Julian's
tone is the tone of a Socialist; in my opinion his bishop ought to be
informed of it. As for _her_ she plays her part just as cleverly with
her pen as she played it with her tongue. 'I cannot disguise from myself
that I am wrong in yielding.... Sad forebodings fill my mind when I
think of the future.... I feel as if the first contemptuous look that
is cast at my husband will destroy _my_ happiness, though it may not
disturb _him_.... As long as I was parted from him I could control my
own weakness, I could accept my hard lot. But how can I resist him after
having watched for weeks at his bedside; after having seen his first
smile, and heard his first grateful words t o me while I was slowly
helping him back to life?' "There is the tone which she takes through four closely written pages
of nauseous humility and clap-trap sentiment! It is enough to make one
despise women. Thank God, there is the contrast at hand to remind me of
what is due to the better few among the sex. I feel that my mother and
my sisters are doubly precious to me now. May I add, on the side of
consolation, that I prize with hardly inferior gratitude the privilege
of corresponding with _you?_ "Farewell for the present. I am too rudely shaken in my most cherished
convictions, I am too depressed and disheartened, to write more. All
good wishes go with you, dear Miss Roseberry, until we meet.