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in the neck。〃
〃She died under an operation for the removal of that tumor；〃 said
the priest； in low tones； 〃and the operator was your Uncle
George。〃
In those few words all the truth burst upon me。
〃Console yourself with the thought that the long martyrdom of his
life is over；〃 the priest went on。 〃He rests； he is at peace。 He
and his little darling understand each other； and are happy now。
That thought bore him up to the last on his death…bed。 He always
spoke of your sister as his 'little darling。' He firmly believed
that she was waiting to forgive and console him in the other
worldand who shall say he was deceived in that belief？〃
Not I！ Not anyone who has ever loved and suffered； surely！
〃It was out of the depths of his self…sacrificing love for the
child that he drew the fatal courage to undertake the operation；〃
continued the priest。 〃Your father naturally shrank from
attempting it。 His medical brethren whom he consulted all doubted
the propriety of taking any measures for the removal of the
tumor； in the particular condition and situation of it when they
were called in。 Your uncle alone differed with them。 He was too
modest a man to say so； but your mother found it out。 The
deformity of her beautiful child horrified her。 She was desperate
enough to catch at the faintest hope of remedying it that anyone
might hold out to her； and she persuaded your uncle to put his
opinion to the proof。 Her horror at the deformity of the child；
and her despair at the prospect of its lasting for life； seem to
have utterly blinded her to all natural sense of the danger of
the operation。 It is hard to know how to say it to you； her son；
but it must be told； nevertheless； that one day； when your father
was out； she untruly informed your uncle that his brother had
consented to the performance of the operation； and that he had
gone purposely out of the house because he had not nerve enough
to stay and witness it。 After that； your uncle no longer
hesitated。 He had no fear of results； provided he could be
certain of his own courage。 All he dreaded was the effect on him
of his love for the child when he first found himself face to
face with the dreadful necessity of touching her skin with the
knife。〃
I tried hard to control myself； but I could not repress a shudder
at those words。
〃It is useless to shock you by going into particulars；〃 said the
priest； considerately。 〃Let it be enough if I say that your
uncle's fortitude failed to support him when he wanted it most。
His love for the child shook the firm hand which had never
trembled before。 In a word； the operation failed。 Your father
returned； and found his child dying。 The frenzy of his despair
when the truth was told him carried him to excesses which it
shocks me to mentionexcesses which began in his degrading his
brother by a blow； which ended in his binding himself by an oath
to make that brother suffer public punishment for his fatal
rashness in a court of law。 Your uncle was too heartbroken by
what had happened to feel those outrages as some men might have
felt them。 He looked for one moment at his sister…in…law （I do
not like to say your mother； considering what I have now to tell
you）； to see if she would acknowledge that she had encouraged him
to attempt the operation； and that she had deceived him in saying
that he had his brother's permission to try it。 She was silent；
and when she spoke； it was to join her husband in denouncing him
as the murderer of their child。 Whether fear of your father's
anger； or revengeful indignation against your uncle most actuated
her； I cannot presume to inquire in your presence。 I can only
state facts。〃
The priest paused and looked at me anxiously。 I could not speak
to him at that momentI could only encourage him to proceed by
pressing his hand。
He resumed in these terms：
〃Meanwhile； your uncle turned to your father； and spoke the last
words he was ever to address to his eldest brother in this world。
He said； 'I have deserved the worst your anger can inflict on me；
but I will spare you the scandal of bringing me to justice in
open court。 The law； if it found me guilty； could at the worst
but banish me from my country and my friends。 I will go of my own
accord。 God is my witness that I honestly believed I could save
the child from deformity and suffering。 I have risked all and
lost all。 My heart and spirit are broken。 I am fit for nothing
but to go and hide myself； and my shame and misery； from all eyes
that have ever looked on me。 I shall never come back； never
expect your pity or forgiveness。 If you think less harshly of me
when I am gone； keep secret what has happened； let no other lips
say of me what yours and your wife's have said。 I shall think
that forbearance atonement enoughatonement greater than I have
deserved。 Forget me in this world。 May we meet in another； where
the secrets of all hearts are opened； and where the child who is
gone before may make peace between us！' He said those words and
went out。 Your father never saw him or heard from him again。〃
I knew the reason now why my father had never confided the truth
to anyone； his own family included。 My mother had evidently
confessed all to her sister under the seal of secrecy； and there
the dreadful disclosure had been arrested。
〃Your uncle told me；〃 the priest continued； 〃that before he left
England he took leave of you by stealth； in a place you were
staying at by the sea…side。 Tie had not the heart to quit his
country and his friends forever without kissing you for the last
time。 He followed you in the dark； and caught you up in his arms；
and left you again before you had a chance of discovering him。
The next day he quitted England。〃
〃For this place？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。 He had spent a week here once with a student friend at the
time when he was a pupil in the Hotel Dieu； and to this place he
returned to hide； to suffer； and to die。 We all saw that he was a
man crushed and broken by some great sorrow； and we respected him
and his affliction。 He lived alone； and only came out of doors
toward evening； when he used to sit on the brow of the hill
yonder； with his head on his hand； looking toward England。 That
place seemed a favorite with him； and he is buried close by it。
He revealed the story of his past life to no living soul here but
me； and to me he only spoke when his last hour was approaching。
What he had suffered during his long exile no man can presume to
say。 I； who saw more of him than anyone； never heard a word of
complaint fall from his lips。 He had the courage of the martyrs
while he lived； and the resignation of the saints when he died。
Just at the last his mind wandered。 He said he saw his little
darling waiting by the bedside to lead him away； and he died with
a smile on his facethe first I had ever seen there。〃
The priest ceased； and we went out together in the mournful
twilight； and stood for a little while on the brow of the hill
where Uncle George used to sit； with his face turned toward
England。 How my heart ached for him as I thought of what he must
have suffered in the silence and solitude of his long exile！ Was
it well for me that I had discovered the Family Secret at last？ I
have sometimes thought not。 I have sometimes wished that the
darkness had never been cleared away which once hid from me the
fate of Uncle George。
THE THIRD DAY。
FINE again。 Our guest rode out； with her ragged little groom； as
usual。 There was no news yet in the paperthat is to say； no
news of George or his ship。
On this day Morgan completed his second story； and in two or
three days more I expected to finish the last of my own
contributions。 Owen was still behindhand and still despondent。
The lot drawing to…night was Five。 This proved to be the number
of the first of Morgan's stories； which he had completed before
we began the readings。 His second story； finished this day； being
still uncorrected by me； could not yet be added to the common
stock。
On being informed that it had come to his turn to occupy the
attention of the company； Morga n startled us by immediately
objecting to the trouble of reading his own composition； and by
coolly handing it over to me； on the ground that my numerous
corrections had made it； to all intents and purposes； my story。
Owen and I both remonstrated； and Jessie； mischievously
persisting in her favorite jest at Morgan's expense； entreated
that he would read； if it was only for her sake。 Finding that we
were all determined； and all against him； he declared that；
rather than hear our voices any longer； he would submit to the
minor inconvenience of listening to his own。 Accordingly； he took
his manuscript back again； and； with an air of surly resignation；
spread it open before him。
〃I don't think you will like this story； miss；〃 he began；
addressing Jessie； 〃but I shall read it； nevertheless； with the
greatest pleasure。 It begins in a stableit gropes its way
through a dreamit keeps company with a hostlerand it stops
without an end。 What do you think of that？〃
After favoring his audience with this promising preface； Morgan
indulged himself in a chuckle of supreme satisfaction； and then
began to