Ah!' looking
again at the bill; 'when she was known to be gone, and out of
reach, dear girl, I couldn't help telling - for her sake quite as
much as theirs - what I knew, could I?'
'You told it, anyhow,' observed her husband.
'And Dr. Jeddler,' pursued Clemency, putting down her tea-cup, and
looking thoughtfully at the bill, 'in his grief and passion turned
me out of house and home! I never have been so glad of anything in
all my life, as that I didn't say an angry word to him, and hadn't
any angry feeling towards him, even then; for he repented that
truly, afterwards. How often he has sat in this room, and told me
over and over again he was sorry for it! - the last time, only
yesterday, when you were out. How often he has sat in this room,
and talked to me, hour after hour, about one thing and another, in
which he made believe to be interested! - but only for the sake of
the days that are gone by, and because he knows she used to like
me, Ben!'
'Why, how did you ever come to catch a glimpse of that, Clem?'
asked her husband: astonished that she should have a distinct
perception of a truth which had only dimly suggested itself to his
inquiring mind.
'I don't know, I'm sure,' said Clemency, blowing her tea, to cool
it. 'Bless you, I couldn't tell you, if you was to offer me a
reward of a hundred pound.
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