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TUNBRIDGE WELLS. 221
his agony, and looking angrily at her, he cried, ' There you lie, my dear ; his estate is not settled upon me.' • I beg your pardon,' said she, ' I really thought it was, at least you have always told me so.' ' No,' returned he, ' as sure as you and I are to be miserable here, and our children beggars hereafter, I have sold the reversion of it this day, and have lost every farthing I got for it at the hazard table.' 'What all?' replied the lady. 'Yes, every farthing,' returned he, 'and I owe a thousand pounds more than I have got to pay.' Thus speaking, he took a few frantic steps across the room. When the lady had a little enjoyed his perplexity, 'No, my dear,' cried she, 'you have lost but a trifle, and you owe nothing, your brother and I have taken care to prevent the effects of your rashness, and are actually the "persons who have won your fortune; we employed proper persons for this purpose, who brought their winnings to me. Your money, your equipage, are in my possession, and here I return them to you, from whom they were unjustly taken, I only ask permission to keep my jewels, and to keep you, my greatest jewel, from such dangers for the future.' Her prudence had the proper effect. He ever retained a sense of his former |
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