"DearCharles,—IamsogladtohearyouaresettledinyournewhouseinBath,anditismostkindtoaskusdown.IamdevotedtoBathonemeetssuchnicepeoplethere,andallone'sfriendswhomoneknewcenturiesago.Itissuchacomforttoseehowfearfullyoldthey'relooking!Idon'tknowwhetherwecanmanagetoacceptyourkindinvitation,butImustsayIshouldbegladofachangeafterthetrulyawfulthingsthathavehappenedhere.Ihavebeendreadfullyupsetallthewinter,andhavehadseveraltouchesofrheumatism,whichisathingIneversufferedfrombefore. "IwroteandtoldyouofthesuddenandmysteriousdeathofpoorJamesParsons,afortnightbeforehewasgoingtomarrymydearMary.Heshothimselfaccidentallywhilecleaningagun—thatistosay,everyonethinksitwasanaccident.ButIamcertainitwasnothingofthekind.Eversincethedreadfulthinghappened—sixmonthsago—ithasbeenonmyconscience,andIassureyouthatthewholetimeIhavenotsleptawink.Mysufferingshavebeenhorrible!YouwillbesurprisedatthechangeinmeIambeginningtolooklikeanoldwoman.Itellyouthisinstrictconfidence.Ibelievehecommittedsuicide.Heconfessedthathelovedme,Charles.Ofcourse,ItoldhimIwasoldenoughtobehismotherbutloveisblind.WhenIthinkofthetragicendofpoorAlgyTurner,whopoisonedhimselfinIndiaformysake,Idon'tknowhowIshalleverforgivemyself.InevergaveJamestheleastencouragement,andwhenhesaidthathelovedme,IwassotakenabackthatInearlyfainted.Iamconvincedthatheshothimselfratherthanmarryawomanhedidnotlove,andwhatismore,mydaughter.Youcanimaginemyfeelings!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.Heisapleasant-spokenyoungman,witharatherfinepresence—notmyidealatallbutthat,ofcourse,doesn'tmatter!Well,amonthafterthefuneral,Marytoldmethathehadaskedheragain,andshehaddeclined.Ithinkitwasverybadtasteonhispart,butMarysaidshethoughtitmostnoble. "ItappearsthatColonelandMrs.Parsonsbothpressedherverymuchtoacceptthecurate.TheysaiditwasJamie'sdyingwish,andthathislastthoughthadbeenforherhappiness.ThereisnodoubtthatMr.Drylandisanexcellentyoungman,butiftheParsonshadreallylovedtheirson,theywouldneverhaveadvisedMarytogetmarried.Ithinkitwasmostheartless. "Well,afewdaysago,Mr.DrylandcameandtoldusthathehadbeenappointedvicarofStoneFairley,inKent.IwenttoseeMrs.Jackson,thewifeofourVicar,andshelookeditoutintheclergylist.Thestipendis￡300ayear,andIamtoldthatthereisagoodhouse.Ofcourse,it'snotverymuch,butbetterthannothing.ThismorningMr.DrylandcalledandaskedforaprivateinterviewwithMary.Hesaidhemust,ofcourse,leaveLittlePrimpton,andhisvicaragewouldsadlywantamistressandfinally,forthethirdtime,beggedheronhisbendedkneestomarryher.HehadpreviouslybeentotheParsons,andtheColonelsentforMary,andtoldherthathehopedshewouldnotrefuseMr.Drylandfortheirsake,andthattheythoughtitwasherdutytomarry.TheresultisthatMaryacceptedhim,andistobemarriedveryquietlybyspeciallicenseinamonth.ThewidowofthelateincumbentofStoneFairleymovesoutinsixweeks,sothiswillgivethemtimeforafortnight'shoneymoonbeforesettlingdown.TheythinkofspendingitinParis. "Ithink,onthewhole,itisasgoodamatchaspoorMarycouldexpecttomake.ThestipendispaidbytheEcclesiasticalCommissioners,which,ofcourse,ismuchsaferthanglebe.Sheisnolongerayounggirl,andIthinkitwasherlastchance.Althoughsheismyowndaughter,Icannothelpconfessingthatsheisnotthesortofgirlthatwearswellshehasalwaysbeenplain—(noonewouldthinkshewasmydaughter)—andastimegoeson,shewillgrowplainer.WhenIwaseighteenmymother'smaidusedtosay:'Why,miss,there'smanyamarriedwomanofthirtywhowouldbeproudtohaveyourbust.'Butourpoor,dearMaryhasnofigure.Shewilldoexcellentlyforthewifeofacountryvicar.She'ssofondofgivingpeopleadvice,andoflookingafterthepoor,anditwon'tmatterthatshe'sdowdy.Shehasnoideaofdressingherself,althoughI'vealwaysdonemybestforher. "Mr.Drylandis,ofcourse,intheseventhheavenofdelight.HehasgoneintoTunbridgeWellstogetaring,andasanengagementpresenthasjustsentroundacompleteeditionoftheworksofMr.HallCaine.Heisevidentlygenerous.Ithinktheywillsuitoneanotherverywell,andIamgladtogetmyonlydaughtermarried.ShewasalwaysratheratieonReginaldandme.Wearesodevotedtooneanotherthatathirdpersonhasoftenseemedalittleintheway.Althoughyouwouldnotbelieveit,andwehavebeenmarriedfornearlythirtyyears,nothinggivesusmorehappinessthantositholdingoneanother'shands.Ihavealwaysbeensentimental,andIamnotashamedtoownit.ReggieissometimesafraidthatIshallgetanattackofmyrheumatismwhenwesitouttogetheratnightbutIalwaystakecaretowrapmyselfupwell,andIinvariablymakehimputamuffleron. "Givemykindestregardstoyourwife,andtellherIhopetoseehersoon.—Yoursverysincerely,