London, they would hear of something to
their advantage.' I wrote to the agent, from whom I learned, after
proving my identity, that the two sisters of my mother, who, you may
remember, had like sums left them by the will of their relative, had
continued to live in a state of single blessedness; that, about four
years previously, one of them had died, leaving everything to the other,
and that the other had died only two months before, bequeathing all her
property to my mother or her next heir; or, in default of that, to some
distant relation. I therefore immediately came into a fortune of ten
thousand pounds, with interest; and I was further informed that a great
uncle of mine was still living, without heirs, and was most anxious that
my mother or her heirs should be discovered. An invitation was
therefore sent to me to go down to him, and to make his house my future
residence.

"At that time the effects of my indiscretion were but too apparent, and
rendered, as I thought, deception justifiable. I put on widow's weeds,
and gave out that my husband was a young officer, who had fallen a
victim to the fatal Walcheren fever; that our marriage had been
clandestine, and unknown to any of his friends: such was my story and
appearance before the agent, who believed me. The same fabrication was
put upon my grand-uncle, with equal success. I was received into his
house with parental affection; and in that house I gave birth to the
dear child you now hold in your arms--to your child, my Frank--to the
only child I shall ever have. Yes, dear Eugenia," continued she,
pressing her rosy lips on the broad white neck of the child, "you shall
be my only care, my solace, my comfort, and my joy. Heaven, in its
mercy, sent the cherub to console its wretched mother in the double
pangs of guilt and separation from all she loved; and Heaven shall be
repaid, by my return to its slighted, its insulted laws. I feel that my
sin is forgiven; for I have besought forgiveness night and day, with
bitter tears, and Heaven has heard my prayer. `Go and sin no more,' was
said to me: and upon these terms I have received forgiveness.

"You will no doubt ask why did I not let you know all this, and why I so
carefully secreted myself from you. My reasons were founded on the
known impetuosity of your character. You, my beloved, who could brave
death, and all the military consequences of desertion from a ship lying
at Spithead, were not likely to lis