Capitolas Peril - Page 196/218

The fourth in the dreadful list comprised the deceptions, wrongs and

persecutions practised upon Madame Eugene Le Noir, and the final false

imprisonment of that lady under the charge of insanity, in the private

madhouse kept by Doctor Pierre St. Jean, in East Feliciana.

In conclusion, he spoke of the wrongs done to Clara Day, whose pardon,

with that of others, he begged. And he prayed that in consideration of

his son, as little publicity as was possible might be given to these

crimes.

During the reading of this confession, the eyes of Traverse Rocke were

fixed in wonder and half incredulity upon the face of Herbert, and at

its conclusion he said: "What a mass of crime! But that we may not dare to question the mercy

of the Lord, I should ask if these were sins that he would ever pardon!

Herbert, it appalls me to think of it!"

Then, after deep thought, he added: "This, then, was the secret of my dear mother's long unhappiness. She

was Major Warfield's forsaken wife. Herbert, I feel as though I never,

never could forgive my father!"

"Traverse, if Major Warfield had wilfully and wantonly forsaken your

mother, I should say that your resentment was natural and right. Who

should be an honorable woman's champion if not her own son? But Major

Warfield, as well as his wife, was more sinned against than sinning.

Your parents were both victims of a cruel conspiracy, and he suffered

as much in his way as she did in hers," said Herbert.

"I always thought, somehow, that my dear mother was a forsaken wife.

She never told me so, but there was something about her circumstances

and manners, her retired life, her condition, so much below her

deserts, her never speaking of her husband's death, which would have

been natural for her to do, had she been a widow--all, somehow, went to

give me the impression that my father had abandoned us. Lately I had

suspected Major Warfield had something to do with the sad affair,

though I never once suspected him to be my father. So much for natural

instincts," said Traverse, with a melancholy smile.

"Traverse," said Herbert, with the design of drawing him off from sad

remembrances of his mother's early trials. "Traverse, this confession,

signed and witnessed as it is, will wonderfully simplify your course of

action in regard to the deliverance of Madame Le Noir."

"Yes; so it will," said Traverse, with animation. "There will be no

need now of applying to law, especially if you will come down with me

to East Feliciana and bring the confession with you."