CHAPTER II.

Thismancontrivesasecret’twixtustwo, Thathemayquellmewithhismeetingeyes Likeonewhoquellsalionessatbay. ThiswastheletterGwendolenfoundonhertable: DEARESTCHILD.—Ihavebeenexpectingtohearfromyouforaweek.InyourlastyousaidtheLangensthoughtofleavingLeubronnandgoingtoBaden.Howcouldyoubesothoughtlessastoleavemeinuncertaintyaboutyouraddress?Iaminthegreatestanxietylestthisshouldnotreachyou.Inanycase,youweretocomehomeattheendofSeptember,andImustnowentreatyoutoreturnasquicklyaspossible,forifyouspentallyourmoneyitwouldbeoutofmypowertosendyouanymore,andyoumustnotborrowoftheLangens,forIcouldnotrepaythem.Thisisthesadtruth,mychild—IwishIcouldprepareyouforitbetter—butadreadfulcalamityhasbefallenusall.YouknownothingaboutbusinessandwillnotunderstanditbutGrapnell&Co.havefailedforamillion,andwearetotallyruined—yourauntGascoigneaswellasI,onlythatyourunclehashisbenefice,sothatbyputtingdowntheircarriageandgettinginterestfortheboys,thefamilycangoon.Allthepropertyourpoorfathersavedforusgoestopaytheliabilities.ThereisnothingIcancallmyown.Itisbetteryoushouldknowthisatonce,thoughitrendsmyhearttohavetotellityou.Ofcoursewecannothelpthinkingwhatapityitwasthatyouwentawayjustwhenyoudid.ButIshallneverreproachyou,mydearchildIwouldsaveyoufromalltroubleifIcould.Onyourwayhomeyouwillhavetimetoprepareyourselfforthechangeyouwillfind.WeshallperhapsleaveOffendeneatonce,forwehopethatMr.Haynes,whowanteditbefore,maybereadytotakeitoffmyhands.Ofcoursewecannotgototherectory—thereisnotacornertheretospare.Wemustgetsomehutorothertoshelterus,andwemustliveonyouruncleGascoigne’scharity,untilIseewhatelsecanbedone.Ishallnotbeabletopaythedebtstothetradesmenbesidestheservants’wages.Summonupyourfortitude,mydearchildwemustresignourselvestoGod’swill.Butitishardtoresignone’sselftoMr.Lassman’swickedrecklessness,whichtheysaywasthecauseofthefailure.Yourpoorsisterscanonlycrywithmeandgivemenohelp.Ifyouwereoncehere,theremightbeabreakinthecloud—Ialwaysfeelitimpossiblethatyoucanhavebeenmeantforpoverty.IftheLangenswishtoremainabroad,perhapsyoucanputyourselfundersomeoneelse’scareforthejourney.Butcomeassoonasyoucantoyourafflictedandlovingmamma, FANNYDAVILOW. ThefirsteffectofthisletteronGwendolenwashalf-stupefying.Theimplicitconfidencethatherdestinymustbeoneofluxuriousease,whereanytroublethatoccurredwouldbewellcladandprovidedfor,hadbeenstrongerinherownmindthaninhermamma’s,beingfedtherebyheryouthfulbloodandthatsenseofsuperiorclaimswhichmadealargepartofherconsciousness.Itwasalmostasdifficultforhertobelievesuddenlythatherpositionhadbecomeoneof