I could not conceal my disorder so much from the woman but that she
perceived it, and thought I was not well, which I was obliged to
pretend was true; upon which she pressed me to rise, the ground being
damp and dangerous, which I did accordingly, and walked away.
As I was going back again, and still talking of this gentleman and his
son, a new occasion of melancholy offered itself thus. The woman
began, as if she would tell me a story to divert me: 'There goes,' says
she, 'a very odd tale among the neighbours where this gentleman
formerly live.' 'What was that?' said I. 'Why,' says she, 'that old
gentleman going to England, when he was a young man, fell in love with
a young lady there, one of the finest women that ever was seen, and
married her, and brought her over hither to his mother who was then
living. He lived here several years with her,' continued she, 'and had
several children by her, of which the young gentleman that was with him
now was one; but after some time, the old gentlewoman, his mother,
talking to her of something relating to herself when she was in
England, and of her circumstances in England, which were bad enough,
the daughter-in-law began to be very much surprised and uneasy; and, in
short, examining further into things, it appeared past all
contradiction that the old gentlewoman was her own mother, and that
consequently that son was his wife's own brother, which struck the
whole family with horror, and put them into such confusion that it had
almost ruined them all. The young woman would not live with him; the
son, her brother and husband, for a time went distracted; and at last
the young woman went away for England, and has never been heard of
since.' It is easy to believe that I was strangely affected with this story,
but 'tis impossible to describe the nature of my disturbance. I seemed
astonished at the story, and asked her a thousand questions about the
particulars, which I found she was thoroughly acquainted with. At last
I began to inquire into the circumstances of the family, how the old
gentlewoman, I mean my mother, died, and how she left what she had; for
my mother had promised me very solemnly, that when she died she would
do something for me, and leave it so, as that, if I was living, I
should one way or other come at it, without its being in the power of
her son, my brother and husband, to prevent it. She told me she did
not know exactly how it was ordered, but she had been told that my
mother had left a sum of money, and had tied her plantation for the
payment of it, to be made good to the daughter, if ever she could be
heard of, either in England or elsewhere; and that the trust was left
with this son, who was the person that we saw with his father.