He had not
even the comfort of his sister's sympathy, as he felt bound in
honour not to tell her anything; and she was luckily so much
absorbed in some household contest with Sally that she did not
notice her brother's quiet languor.
Mr. Benson felt that he had no right at this time to intrude into
the house which he had been once tacitly forbidden. If he went
now to Mr. Bradshaw's without being asked, or sent for, he
thought it would seem like presuming on his knowledge of the
hidden disgrace of one of the family. Yet he longed to go: he
knew that Mr. Farquhar must be writing almost daily to Jemima,
and he wanted to hear what he was doing. The fourth day after her
husband's departure she came, within half-an-hour after the post
delivery, and asked to speak to Mr. Benson alone.
She was in a state of great agitation, and had evidently been
crying very much.
"Oh, Mr. Benson!" said she, "will you come with me, and tell papa
this sad news about Dick? Walter has written me a letter at last,
to say he has found him--he could not at first; but now it seems
that, the day before yesterday, he heard of an accident which had
happened to the Dover coach; it was overturned--two passengers
killed, and several badly hurt. Walter says we ought to be
thankful, as he is, that Dick was not killed. He says it was such
a relief to him on going to the place--the little inn nearest to
where the coach was overturned--to find that Dick was only
severely injured; not one of those who was killed.
Pages:
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548