Mr. Holly died,
leaving them eight thousand a year: Sir Horace survived his friend but a
few weeks, and Sir Henry succeeded to nearly fifteen thousand a year
more. Their decease, however, which a year before would have been the
means of Lady Corbet's happiness, was then of no avail; the gentleman on
whom her early affections had been placed, on hearing of her marriage,
retired to France, where he literally died of a broken heart.

"Sir Henry now, uncontrolled by parental authority, yielded to the
wildest passions of his heart. The mild dignity of his wife was
disregarded, her beauty insufficient to restrain him from illicit
connexions, and, whilst she was restricted with a parsimonious hand to
her marriage settlement, she had the mortification of beholding immense
property squandered on his worthless mistresses. As a landlord and
master, Sir Henry was certainly beloved; but his character as a husband
degenerated into that of a brutal tyrant.

"Soon after the decease of her father, Lady Corbet was delivered of a
son, and in him (being deprived of all other) she concentrated her
future happiness.

"On my first return from America, as I yesterday informed you, I passed
some months at Bath, where I was introduced to Lady Corbet, and, had she
been single, I should have said, Here Talton rest for ever!--as it was,
nothing passed but what the strictest prude might have witnessed, though
the censuring world imputed actions to me, I was innocent of, even in
intention. Sir Henry was on an excursion with some friends, when I first
became acquainted with his family; on his return, Lady Corbet presented
me to him; he scarcely deigned a perceptible bow, but, throwing himself
into a chair, called for his son, who was then about five years old,
and, without once addressing me, amused himself in talking to, and
answering his infantine questions. I regarded Lady Corbet with a look,
I believe, sufficiently expressive of my surprise at his unpoliteness;
the silent tear trembled in her eye, and, with a sigh which seemed to
say, it was such behaviour as she was used to, she walked to the window.
I had then an opportunity of observing Sir Henry. He was rather small in
his person, his eyes black and penetrating, and his face expressive of
care and discontent.

"He continued playing with the child some time; then, starting up--'Has
your ladyship any commands to the St. Ledger family?' 'None, sir,'
answered Lady Corbet, attempting to speak w