\"Thebestthingthatcanhappentothatunhappymanislikelytohappen，\"hesaid。\"Theonechangeinhimisachangethatthreatensparalysis。YoumayhearofhisdeathbeforeyougetbacktoEngland。\"
\"AndAriel？\"Iasked。
\"Quiteunaltered，\"Benjaminanswered。\"Perfectlyhappysolongassheiswith’theMaster。’FromallIcanhearofher，poorsoul，shedoesn’treckonDexteramongmoralbeings。Shelaughsattheideaofhisdying；andshewaitspatiently，inthefirmpersuasionthathewillrecognizeheragain。\"
Benjamin’snewssaddenedandsilencedme。Ilefthimtohisletter。
CHAPTERL。
THELASTOFTHESTORY。
IntendaysmorewereturnedtoEngland，accompaniedbyBenjamin。
Mrs。Macallan’shouseinLondonofferedusampleaccommodation。
Wegladlyavailedourselvesofherproposal，whensheinvitedustostaywithheruntilourchildwasborn，andourplansforthefuturewerearranged。
Thesadnewsfromtheasylum（forwhichBenjaminhadpreparedmymindatParis）reachedmesoonafterourreturntoEngland。
MiserrimusDexter’sreleasefromtheburdenoflifehadcometohimbyslowdegrees。Afewhoursbeforehebreathedhislastheralliedforawhile，andrecognizedArielathisbedside。Hefeeblypronouncedhername，andlookedather，andaskedforme。
Theythoughtofsendingforme，butitwastoolate。Beforethemessengercouldbedispatched，hesaid，withatouchofhisoldself—importance，\"Silence，allofyou！mybrainsareweary；Iamgoingtosleep。\"Heclosedhiseyesinslumber，andneverawokeagain。Soforthismantootheendcamemercifully，withoutgrieforpain！Sothatstrangeandmany—sidedlife——withitsguiltanditsmisery，itsfitfulflashesofpoetryandhumor，itsfantasticgayety，cruelty，andvanity——ranitsdestinedcourse，andfadedoutlikeadream！
AlasforAriel！ShehadlivedfortheMaster——whatmorecouldshedo，nowtheMasterwasgone？Shecoulddieforhim。
TheyhadmercifullyallowedhertoattendthefuneralofMiserrimusDexter——inthehopethattheceremonymightavailtoconvinceherofhisdeath。Theanticipationwasnotrealized；shestillpersistedindenyingthat\"theMaster\"hadlefther。Theywereobligedtorestrainthepoorcreaturebyforcewhenthecoffinwasloweredintothegrave；andtheycouldonlyremoveherfromthecemeterybythesamemeanswhentheburial—servicewasover。Fromthattimeherlifealternated，forafewweeks，betweenfitsofravingdeliriumandintervalsoflethargicrepose。Attheannualballgivenintheasylum，whenthestrictsuperintendenceofthepatientswasinsomedegreerelaxed，thealarmwasraised，alittlebeforemidnight，thatArielwasmissing。Thenurseinchargehadleftherasleep，andhadyieldedtothetemptationofgoingdownstairstolookatthedancing。
Whenthewomanreturnedtoherpost，Arielwasgone。Thepresenceofstrangers，andtheconfusionincidentaltothefestival，offeredherfacilitiesforescapingwhichwouldnothavepresentedthemselvesatanyothertime。Thatnightthesearchforherprovedtobeuseless。Thenextmorningbroughtwithitthelasttouchingandterribletidingsofher。Shehadstrayedbacktotheburial—ground；andshehadbeenfoundtowardsunrise，deadofcoldandexposure，onMiserrimusDexter’sgrave。Faithfultothelast，ArielhadfollowedtheMaster！Faithfultothelast，ArielhaddiedontheMaster’sgrave！
Havingwrittenthesesadwords，Iturnwillinglytoalesspainfultheme。
EventshadseparatedmefromMajorFitz—David，afterthedateofthedinner—partywhichhadwitnessedmymemorablemeetingwithLadyClarinda。FromthattimeIheardlittleornothingoftheMajor；andIamashamedtosayIhadalmostentirelyforgottenhim——whenIwasremindedofthemodernDonJuanbytheamazingappearanceofwedding—cards，addressedtomeatmymother—in—law’shouse！TheMajorhadsettledinlifeatlast。
And，morewonderfulstill，theMajorhadchosenasthelawfulrulerofhishouseholdandhimself——\"thefutureQueenofSong，\"
theround—eyed，overdressedyoungladywiththestridentsopranovoice！
Wepaidourvisitofcongratulationindueform；andwereallydidfeelforMajorFitz—David。
TheordealofmarriagehadsochangedmygayandgallantadmirerofformertimesthatIhardlyknewhimagain。Hehadlostallhispretensionstoyouth：hehadbecome，hopelesslyandundisguisedly，anoldman。Standingbehindthechaironwhichhisimperiousyoungwifesatenthroned，helookedathersubmissivelybetweeneverytwowordsthatheaddressedtome，asifhewaitedforherpermissiontoopenhislipsandspeak。Wheneversheinterruptedhim——andshedidit，overandoveragain，withoutceremony——hesubmittedwithaseniledocilityandadmiration，atonceabsurdandshockingtosee。
\"Isn’tshebeautiful？\"hesaidtome（inhiswife’shearing！）。
\"Whatafigure，andwhatavoice！Yourememberhervoice？It’saloss，mydearlady，anirretrievableloss，totheoperaticstage！
Doyouknow，whenIthinkwhatthatgrandcreaturemighthavedone，IsometimesaskmyselfifIreallyhadanyrighttomarryher。Ifeel，uponmyhonorIfeel，asifIhadcommittedafraudonthepublic！\"
Asforthefavoredobjectofthisquaintmixtureofadmirationandregret，shewaspleasedtoreceivemegraciously，asanoldfriend。WhileEustacewastalkingtotheMajor，thebridedrewmeasideoutoftheirhearing，andexplainedhermotivesformarrying，withacandorwhichwaspositivelyshameless。
\"Youseewearealargefamilyathome，quiteunprovidedfor！\"
thisodiousyoungwomanwhisperedinmyear。\"It’sallverywellaboutmybeinga’QueenofSong’andtherestofit。Lordblessyou，Ihavebeenoftenenoughtotheopera，andIhavelearnedenoughofmymusic—master，toknowwhatittakestomakeafinesinger。Ihaven’tthepatiencetoworkatitasthoseforeignwomendo：aparcelofbrazen—facedJezebels——Ihatethem！No！
no！betweenyouandme，itwasagreatdealeasiertogetthemoneybymarryingtheoldgentleman。HereIam，providedfor——andthere’sallmyfamilyprovidedfor，too——andnothingtodobuttospendthemoney。Iamfondofmyfamily；I’magooddaughterandsister——_I_am！SeehowI’mdressed；lookatthefurniture：I
haven’tplayedmycardsbadly，haveI？It’sagreatadvantagetomarryanoldman——youcantwisthimroundyourlittlefinger。
Happy？Oh，yes！I’mquitehappy；andIhopeyouare，too。Whereareyoulivingnow？Ishallcallsoon，andhavealonggossipwithyou。Ialwayshadasortoflikingforyou，and（nowI’masgoodasyouare）Iwanttobefriends。\"
Imadeashortandcivilreplytothis；determininginwardlythatwhenshedidvisitmesheshouldgetnofurtherthanthehouse—door。Idon’tscrupletosaythatIwasthoroughlydisgustedwithher。Whenawomansellsherselftoaman，thatvilebargainisnonethelessinfamous（tomymind）becauseithappenstobemadeunderthesanctionoftheChurchandtheLaw。
AsIsitatthedeskthinking，thepictureoftheMajorandhiswifevanishesfrommymemory——andthelastsceneinmystorycomesslowlyintoview。
Theplaceismybedroom。Thepersons（both，ifyouwillbepleasedtoexcusethem，inbed）aremyselfandmyson。Heisalreadythreeweeksold；andheisnowlyingfastasleepbyhismother’sside。MygoodUncleStarkweatheriscomingtoLondontobaptizehim。Mrs。Macallanwillbehisgodmother；andhisgodfatherswillbeBenjaminandMr。Playmore。Iwonderwhethermychristeningwillpassoffmoremerrilythanmywedding？
Thedoctorhasjustleftthehouse，insomelittleperplexityaboutme。Hehasfoundmerecliningasusual（latterly）inmyarm—chair；butonthisparticulardayhehasdetectedsymptomsofexhaustion，whichhefindsquiteunaccountableunderthecircumstances，andwhichwarnhimtoexerthisauthoritybysendingmebacktomybed。
ThetruthisthatIhavenottakenthedoctorintomyconfidence。
Therearetwocausesforthosesignsofexhaustionwhichhavesurprisedmymedicalattendant——andthenamesofthemare——AnxietyandSuspense。
OnthisdayIhaveatlastsummonedcourageenoughtoperformthepromisewhichImadetomyhusbandinParis。Heisinformed，bythistime，howhiswife’sConfessionwasdiscovered。Heknows（onMr。Playmore’sauthority）thatthelettermaybemadethemeans，ifhesowillit，ofpubliclyvindicatinghisinnocenceinaCourtofLaw。And，lastandmostimportantofall，heisnowawarethattheConfessionitselfhasbeenkeptasealedsecretfromhim，outofcompassionateregardforhisownpeaceofmind，aswellasforthememoryoftheunhappywomanwhowasoncehiswife。
ThesenecessarydisclosuresIhavecommunicatedtomyhusband——notbywordofmouth；whenthetimecame，Ishrankfromspeakingtohimpersonallyofhisfirstwife——butbyawrittenstatementofthecircumstances，takenmainlyoutofmylettersreceivedinParisfromBenjaminandMr。Playmore。HehasnowhadampletimetoreadallthatIhavewrittentohim，andtoreflectonitintheretirementofhisownstudy。Iamwaiting，withthefatalletterinmyhand——andmymother—in—lawiswaitinginthenextroomtome——tohearfromhisownlipswhetherhedecidestobreakthesealornot。
Theminutespass；andstillwefailtohearhisfootsteponthestairs。MydoubtsastowhichwayhisdecisionmayturnaffectmemoreandmoreuneasilythelongerIwait。Theverypossessionoftheletter，inthepresentexcitedstateofmynerves，oppressesandrevoltsme。Ishrinkfromtouchingitorlookingatit。I
moveitaboutrestlesslyfromplacetoplaceonthebed，andstillIcannotkeepitoutofmymind。Atlast，anoddfancystrikesme。Iliftuponeofthebaby’shands，andputtheletterunderit——andsoassociatethatdreadfulrecordofsinandmiserywithsomethinginnocentandprettythatseemstohallowandtopurifyit。
Theminutespass；thehalf—hourlongerstrikesfromtheclockonthechimney—piece；andatlastIhearhim！Heknockssoftly，andopensthedoor。
Heisdeadlypale：IfancyIcandetecttracesoftearsonhischeeks。Butnooutwardsignsofagitationescapehimashetakeshisseatbymyside。Icanseethathehaswaiteduntilhecouldcontrolhimself——formysake。
Hetakesmyhand，andkissesmetenderly。
\"Valeria！\"hesays；\"letmeoncemoreaskyoutoforgivewhatI
saidanddidinthebygonetime。IfIunderstandnothingelse，mylove，Iunderstandthis：Theproofofmyinnocencehasbeenfound；andIoweitentirelytothecourageandthedevotionofmywife！\"
Iwaitalittle，toenjoythefullluxuryofhearinghimsaythosewords——torevelintheloveandthegratitudethatmoistenhisdeareyesastheylookatme。ThenIrousemyresolution，andputthemomentousquestiononwhichourfuturedepends。
\"Doyouwishtoseetheletter，Eustace？\"
Insteadofansweringdirectly，hequestionsmeinhisturn。
\"Haveyougottheletterhere？\"
\"Yes。\"
\"Sealedup？\"
\"Sealedup。\"
Hewaitsalittle，consideringwhatheisgoingtosaynextbeforehesaysit，\"LetmebesurethatIknowexactlywhatitisIhavetodecide，\"
heproceeds。\"SupposeIinsistonreadingtheletter——？\"
ThereIinterrupthim。Iknowitismydutytorestrainmyself。
ButIcannotdomyduty。
\"Mydarling，don’ttalkofreadingtheletter！Pray，prayspareyourself——\"
Heholdsuphishandforsilence。
\"Iamnotthinkingofmyself，\"hesays。\"Iamthinkingofmydeadwife。IfIgiveupthepublicvindicationofmyinnocence，inmyownlifetime——ifIleavethesealoftheletterunbroken——doyousay，asMr。Playmoresays，thatIshallbeactingmercifullyandtenderlytowardthememoryofmywife？\"
\"Oh，Eustace，therecannotbetheshadowofadoubtofit！\"
\"ShallIbemakingsomelittleatonementforanypainthatImayhavethoughtlesslycausedhertosufferinherlifetime？\"
\"Yes！yes！\"
\"And，Valeria——shallIpleaseYou？\"
\"Mydarling，youwillenchantme！\"
\"Whereistheletter？\"
\"Inyourson’shand，Eustace。\"
Hegoesaroundtotheothersideofthebed，andliftsthebaby’slittlepinkhandtohislips。Forawhilehewaitsso，insadandsecretcommunionwithhimself。Iseehismothersoftlyopenthedoor，andwatchhimasIamwatchinghim。Inamomentmoreoursuspenseisatanend。Withaheavysigh，helaysthechild’shandbackagainonthesealedletter；andbythatonelittleactionsays（asifinwords）tohisson——\"IleaveittoYou！\"
Andsoitended！NotasIthoughtitwouldend；notperhapsasyouthoughtitwouldend。Whatdoweknowofourownlives？Whatdoweknowofthefulfillmentofourdearestwishes？Godknows——andthatisbest。
MustIshutupthepaper？Yes。Thereisnothingmoreforyoutoreadorformetosay。
Exceptthis——asapostscript。Don’tbearhardly，goodpeople，onthefolliesandtheerrorsofmyhusband’slife。Abuse_me_asmuchasyouplease。ButpraythinkkindlyofEustaceformysake。
End