CHAPTER XV. MR. JEKYL'S OPINIONS.

Afterthereturnofthegentlementothedrawing-room,Nina,attherequestofTom,followedhimandMr.Jekylintothelibrary. "Mr.Jekylisgoingtomakesomestatementstous,Nina,aboutourpropertyinMississippi,which,iftheyturnoutasheexpects,willsetusupintheworld,"saidTom. Ninathrewherselfcarelesslyintotheleatherarm-chairbythewindow,andlookedoutofit. "Yousee,"saidMr.Jekyl,alsoseatinghimself,andpullingoutthestiffpointsofhiscollar,"havingdonelawbusinessforyourfather,andknown,inthatway,agooddealaboutthefamilyproperty,Ihavenaturallyalwaysfeltagooddealofinterestinitandyourememberyourfather'ssister,Mrs.Stewart,inherited,onthedeathofherhusband,afineestateinMississippi." "Iremember,"saidTom,—"well,goon." "Well,shedied,andleftitalltoherson.Well,he,itseems,likesomeotheryoungmen,livedinaveryreprehensibleunionwithahandsomequadroongirl,whowashismother'smaidandshe,beinganartfulcreature,Isuppose,asagreatmanyofthemare,gotsuchanascendencyoverhim,thathetookheruptoOhio,andmarriedher,andlivedtherewithhersomeyears,andhadtwochildrenbyher.Well,yousee,hehadadeedofemancipationrecordedforherinMississippi,andjusttakingherintoOhio,setherfreebythelawsofthatstate.Well,yousee,hethoughthe'dfixeditsothatthethingcouldn'tbeundone,andshethoughtsotooandIunderstandshe'saprettyshrewdwoman—hasaconsiderableshareofcharacter,orelseshewouldn'thavedonejustwhatshehasfor,yousee,hediedaboutsixmonthsago,andlefttheplantationandallthepropertytoherandherchildren,andshehasbeensosecurethatshehasactuallygoneandtakenpossession.Yousee,sheissonearwhite,youmustknowthatthereisn'toneintwentywouldthinkwhatshewas,—andthepeopleroundthere,actually,someofthem,hadforgottenallaboutit,anddidn'tknowbutwhatshewasawhitewomanfromOhioandso,yousee,thethingneverwouldhavebeenlookedintoatall,ifIhadn'thappenedtohavebeendownthere.But,yousee,sheturnedoffanoverseerthathadmanagedtheplace,becausethepeoplecomplainedofhimandIhappenedtofallinwiththeman,andhebegantellingmehisstory,and,afteralittleinquiry,Ifoundwhothesepeoplewere.Well,sir,Ijustwenttooneofthefirstlawye