urch were warm.
On this point I could reassure him, having found it properly heated
even in the early morning.

Mr. Gaskell was to push John's chair, and I ran off to put on my cloak,
with my heart full of profound thankfulness for the signs of returning
grace so mercifully vouchsafed to our dear sufferer on this happy day.
I was ready dressed and had just entered the library when Mr. Gaskell
stepped hurriedly through the window from the terrace. "John has
fainted!" he said. "Run for some smelling salts and call Parnham!"

There was a scene of hurried alarm, giving place ere long to terrified
despair. Parnham mounted a horse and set off at a wild gallop to Swanage
to fetch Dr. Bruton; but an hour before he returned we knew the worst.
My brother was beyond the aid of the physician: his wrecked life had
reached a sudden term!

* * * * *

I have now, dear Edward, completed the brief narrative of some of the
facts attending the latter years of your father's life. The motive which
has induced me to commit them to writing has been a double one. I am
anxious to give effect as far as may be to the desire expressed most
strongly to Mr. Gaskell by your father, that you should be put in
possession of these facts on your coming of age. And for my. own part I
think it better that you should thus hear the plain truth from me, lest
you should be at the mercy of haphazard reports, which might at any time
reach you from ignorant or interested sources. Some of the circumstances
were so remarkable that it is scarcely possible to suppose that they
were not known, and most probably frequently discussed, in so large an
establishment as that of Worth Maltravers. I even have reason to believe
that exaggerated and absurd stories were current at the time of Sir
John's death, and I should be grieved to think that such foolish tales
might by any chance reach your ear without your having any sure means of
discovering where the truth lay. God knows how grievous it has been to
me to set down on paper some of the facts that I have here narrated. You
as a dutiful son will reverence the name even of a father whom you never
knew; but you must remember that his sister did more; she loved him with
a single-hearted devotion, and it still grieves her to the quick to
write anything which may seem to detract from his memory. Only, above
all things, let us speak the truth. Much of what I have told you needs,
I feel, further ex