elings!IhavetakencarenottobreatheawordofthistoReginald,whosegoutismakinghimmoreirritableeveryday,ortoanyoneelse.Sonoonesuspectsthetruth.
"ButIshallnevergetoverit.IcouldnotbeartothinkofpoorAlgyTurner,andnowIhaveonmyheadaswellthebloodofJamesParsons.Theyweredearboys,bothofthem.IthinkIamtheonlyonewhoisreallysorryforhim.IfithadbeenmysonwhowaskilledIshouldeitherhavegoneravingmadorhadhystericsforaweekbutMrs.Parsonsmerelysaid:'TheLordhasgiven,andtheLordhastakenaway.BlessedbethenameoftheLord.'Icannothelpthinkingitwasratherprofane,andmostunfeeling.Iwasdreadfullyupset,andMaryhadtositupwithmeforseveralnights.Idon'tbelieveMaryreallylovedhim.Ihatetosayanythingagainstmyowndaughter,butIfeelboundtotellthetruth,andmyprivateopinionisthatshelovedherselfbetter.ShelovedherconstancyandthegoodopinionofLittlePrimptonthefusstheParsonshavemadeofherI'msureisverybadforanyone.Itcan'tbegoodforagirltobegivenwaytosomuchandIneverreallylikedtheParsons.They'reverygoodpeople,ofcoursebutonlyinfantry!
"IamhappytosaythatpoorJamie'sdeathwasalmostinstantaneous.Whentheyfoundhimhesaid:'ItwasanaccidentIdidn'tknowthegunwasloaded.'(Mostimprobable,Ithink.It'swonderfulhowthey'veallbeentakeninbutthentheydidn'tknowhissecret!)Afewminuteslater,justbeforehedied,hesaid:'TellMaryshe'stomarrythecurate.'
"Ifmybetrothedhaddied,nothingwouldhaveinducedmetomarryanybodyelse.Iwouldhaveremainedanoldmaid.Butsofewpeoplehaveanyreallynicefeeling!Mr.Dryland,thecurate,hadalreadyproposedtoMary,andshehadrefusedhim.Hei