Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/241

Rh knew best. Meantime, however, I could not but be anxious for the result of His decrees; knowing, as I did, that (leaving myself entirely out of the question,) however Helen might feel interested in her husband's welfare, however she might deplore his fate, still, while he lived, she must be miserable.

A fortnight passed away, and my enquiries were always answered in the negative. At length a welcome "yes" drew from me the second question. Lawrence divined my anxious thoughts, and appreciated my reserve. I feared at first, he was going to torture me by unsatisfactory replies, and either leave me quite in the dark concerning what I wanted to know, or force me to drag the information out of him, morsel by morsel, by direct inquiries—"and serve you right," you will say; but he was more merciful; and in a little while, he put his sister's letter into my hand. I silently read it, and restored it to him without comment or remark. This mode of procedure suited him