CHAPTER XXI. THE SCHOOL

notforme,Iwillendeavourtopromotethewelfareofthosearoundme,andmyrewardshallbehereafter.”SosaidIinmyheartandfromthathourIonlypermittedmythoughtstowandertoEdwardWeston—oratleasttodwelluponhimnowandthen—asatreatforrareoccasions:and,whetheritwasreallytheapproachofsummerortheeffectofthesegoodresolutions,orthelapseoftime,oralltogether,tranquillityofmindwassoonrestoredandbodilyhealthandvigourbeganlikewise,slowly,butsurely,toreturn. EarlyinJune,IreceivedaletterfromLadyAshby,lateMissMurray.Shehadwrittentometwiceorthricebefore,fromthedifferentstagesofherbridaltour,alwaysingoodspirits,andprofessingtobeveryhappy.Iwonderedeverytimethatshehadnotforgottenme,inthemidstofsomuchgaietyandvarietyofscene.Atlength,however,therewasapauseanditseemedshehadforgottenme,forupwardsofsevenmonthspassedawayandnoletter.Ofcourse,Ididnotbreakmyheartaboutthat,thoughIoftenwonderedhowshewasgettingonandwhenthislastepistlesounexpectedlyarrived,Iwasgladenoughtoreceiveit.ItwasdatedfromAshbyPark,whereshewascometosettledownatlast,havingpreviouslydividedhertimebetweenthecontinentandthemetropolis.Shemademanyapologiesforhavingneglectedmesolong,assuredmeshehadnotforgottenme,andhadoftenintendedtowrite,&c.&c.,buthadalwaysbeenpreventedbysomething.Sheacknowledgedthatshehadbeenleadingaverydissipatedlife,andIshouldthinkherverywickedandverythoughtlessbut,notwithstandingthat,shethoughtagreatdeal,and,amongotherthings,thatsheshouldvastlyliketoseeme.“Wehavebeenseveraldaysherealready,”wroteshe.“Wehavenotasinglefriendwithus,andarelikelytobeverydull.YouknowIneverhadafancyforlivingwithmyhusbandliketwoturtlesinanest,werehethemostdelightfulcreaturethateverworeacoatsodotakepityuponmeandcome.IsupposeyourMidsummerholidayscommenceinJune,thesameasotherpeople’sthereforeyoucannotpleadwantoftimeandyoumustandshallcome—infact,Ishalldieifyoudon’t.Iwantyoutovisitmeasafriend,andstayalongtime.Thereisnobodywithme,asItoldyoubefore,butSirThomasandoldLadyAshby:butyouneedn’tmindthem—they’lltroubleusbutlittlewiththeircomp