Mollybegan。Hervoicesoundedhighandunnaturaltoherself，asifsomeoneelsewasspeaking，butshemadeherwordsclear。Thesquiredidnotattempttolisten，atfirst，atanyrate。’OnedaywhenIwashere，atthetimeofMrsHamley’slastillness’（thesquireherecheckedhisconvulsivebreathing），’Iwasinthelibrary，andOsbornecamein。Hesaidhehadonlycomeinforabook，andthatIwasnottomindhim，soIwentonreading。Presently，Rogercamealongtheflaggedgarden—pathjustoutsidethewindow（whichwasopen）。HedidnotseemeinthecornerwhereIwassitting，andsaidtoOsborne，\"Here’saletterfromyourwife！\"’Nowthesquirewasallattention；forthefirsttimehistear—swolleneyesmettheeyesofanother，andhelookedatMollywithsearchinganxiety，asherepeated，’Hiswife！Osbornemarried！’Mollywenton，—’OsbornewasangrywithRogerforspeakingoutbeforeme，andtheymademepromisenevertomentionittoanyone；ortoalludetoittoeitherofthemagain。Inevernamedittopapatilllastnight。’’Goon，’saidMrGibson。’TellthesquireaboutOsborne’scall，—whatyoutoldme！’Stillthesquirehungonherlips，listeningwithopenmouthandeyes。’SomemonthsagoOsbornecalled。Hewasnotwell，andwantedtoseepapa。
Papawasaway，andIwasalone。Idon’texactlyrememberhowitcameabout，buthespoketomeofhiswifeforthefirstandonlytimesincetheaffairinthelibrary。’Shelookedatherfather，asifquestioninghimastothedesirablenessoftellingthefewfurtherparticularsthatsheknew。
Thesquire’smouthwasdryandstiff，buthetriedtosay，’Tellmeall，—everything。’AndMollyunderstoodthehalf—formedwords。’Hesaidhiswifewasagoodwoman，andthathelovedherdearly；butshewasaFrenchRomanCatholic，anda’—anotherglanceatherfather—’shehadbeenaservantonce。Thatwasall；exceptthatIhaveheraddressathome。Hewroteitdownandgaveitme。’’Well，well！’moanedthesquire。’It’sallovernow。Allover。Allpastandgone。We’llnotblamehim，—no；butIwishhe’datoldme；heandItolivetogetherwithsuchasecretinoneofus。It’snowondertomenow—nothingcanbeawonderagain，foronenevercantellwhat’sinaman’sheart。Marriedsolong！andwesittingtogetheratmeals—andlivingtogether。Why，Itoldhimeverything！Toomuch，maybe，forIshowedhimallmypassionsandill—tempers！Marriedsolong！Oh，Osborne，Osborne，youshouldhavetoldme！’’Yes，heshould！’saidMrGibson。’ButIdaresayheknewhowmuchyouwoulddislikesuchachoiceashehadmade。Butheshouldhavetoldyou！’’Youknownothingaboutit，sir，’saidthesquiresharply。’Youdon’tknowthetermswewereon。Notheartyorconfidential。Iwascrosstohimmanyatime。angrywithhimforbeingdull，poorlad—andhewithallthisweightonhismind。Iwon’thavepeopleinterferingandjudgingbetweenmeandmysons。AndRogertoo！Hecouldknowitall，andkeepitfromme！’’Osborneevidentlyhadboundhimdowntosecrecy，justasheboundme，’
saidMolly；’Rogercouldnothelphimself。’’Osbornewassuchafellowforpersuadingpeople，andwinningthemover，’
saidthesquire，dreamily。’Iremember—butwhat’stheuseofremembering？