Peckover.
"But I'll tell you what I wish you would do for me. I wish you would
read me Master Zack's last letter. You promised, you know, sir."
"And I would have performed my promise before, Mrs. Peckover, if Mrs.
Thorpe had not been in the room. There are passages in the letter,
which it might revive very painful remembrances in her to hear. Now she
has left us, I have not the least objection to read, if you are ready
to listen."
Saying this, Valentine takes a letter from his pocket. Madonna
recognizing it, asks by a sign if she may look over his shoulder and
read it for the second time. The request is granted immediately. Mr.
Blyth makes her sit on his knee, puts his arm round her waist, and
begins to read aloud as follows:
"MY DEAR VALENTINE,--Although I am writing to you to announce my
return, I cannot say that I take up my pen in good spirits. It is not
so long since I picked up my last letters from England that told me of
my father's death. But besides that, I have had a heavy trial to bear,
in hearing the dreadful secret, which you all kept from me when it was
discovered; and afterwards in parting from Matthew Grice.
"What I felt when I knew the secret, and heard why Mat and all of you
had kept it from me, I may be able to tell you--but I cannot and dare
not write about it.
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