moved； sudden as the shock was to her。 When he sank
back into his seat； it was the wife that took the office of
consoler。 She took his trembling hand； and kissed it； and
put it round her neck： she called him her Johnher dear
Johnher old manher kind old man； she poured out a
hundred words of incoherent love and tenderness； her
faithful voice and simple caresses wrought this sad heart
up to an inexpressible delight and anguish； and cheered
and solaced his over…burdened soul。
Only once in the course of the long night as they sate
together； and poor Sedley opened his pent…up soul； and
told the story of his losses and embarrassmentsthe
treason of some of his oldest friends； the manly kindness
of some； from whom he never could have expected itin
a general confessiononly once did the faithful wife give
way to emotion。
〃My God； my God； it will break Emmy's heart；〃 she
said。
The father had forgotten the poor girl。 She was lying；
awake and unhappy； overhead。 In the midst of friends；
home； and kind parents； she was alone。 To how many
people can any one tell all？ Who will be open where there
is no sympathy； or has call to speak to those who never
can understand？ Our gentle Amelia was thus solitary。 She
had no confidante； so to speak； ever since she had anything
to confide。 She could not tell the old mother her
doubts and cares； the would…be sisters seemed every day
more strange to her。 And she had misgivings and fears
which she dared not acknowledge to herself； though she
was always secretly brooding over them。
Her heart tried to persist in asserting that George
Osborne was worthy and faithful to her； though she knew
otherwise。 How many a thing had she said； and got no
echo from him。 How many suspicions of selfishness and
indifference had she to encounter and obstinately
overcome。 To whom could the poor little martyr tell these
daily struggles and tortures？ Her hero himself only half
understood her。 She did not dare to own that the man she
loved was her inferior； or to feel that she had given her
heart away too soon。 Given once； the pure bashful
maiden was too modest； too tender； too trustful； too
weak； too much woman to recall it。 We are Turks with
the affections of our women； and have made them
subscribe to our doctrine too。 We let their bodies go abroad
liberally enough； with smiles and ringlets and pink
bonnets to disguise them instead of veils and yakmaks。 But
their souls must be seen by only one man； and they obey
not unwillingly； and consent to remain at home as our
slavesministering to us and doing drudgery for us。
So imprisoned and tortured was this gentle little heart；
when in the month of March； Anno Domini 1815；
Napoleon landed at Cannes； and Louis XVIII fled； and all
Europe was in alarm； and the funds fell； and old John
Sedley was ruined。
We are not going to follow the worthy old stockbroker
through those last pangs and agonies of ruin through
which he passed before his commercial demise befell。
They declared him at the Stock Exchange； he was
absent from his house of business： his bills were protested：
his act of bankruptcy formal。 The house and furniture of
Russell Square were seized and sold up； and he and his
family were thrust away； as we have seen； to hide their
heads where they might。
John Sedley had not the heart to review the domestic
establishment who have appeared now and anon in our
pages and of whom he was now forced by poverty to
take leave。 The wages of those worthy people were
discharged with that punctuality which men frequently show
who only owe in great sumsthey were sorry to leave
good placesbut they did not break their hearts at parting
from their adored master and mistress。 Amelia's maid
was profuse in condolences； but went off quite resigned
to better herself in a genteeler quarter of the town。 Black
Sambo； with the infatuation of his profession； determined
on setting up a public…house。 Honest old Mrs。 Blenkinsop
indeed； who had seen the birth of Jos and Amelia； and
the wooing of John Sedley and his wife； was for staying
by them without wages； having amassed a considerable
sum in their service： and she accompanied the fallen
people into their new and humble place of refuge； where
she tended them and grumbled against them for a while。
Of all Sedley's opponents in his debates with his creditors
which now ensued； and harassed the feelings of the
humiliated old gentleman so severely； that in six weeks he
oldened more than he had done for fifteen years before
the most determined and obstinate seemed to be John
Osborne； his old friend and neighbourJohn Osborne；
whom he had set up in lifewho was under a hundred
obligations to himand whose son was to marry Sedley's
daughter。 Any one of these circumstances would account
for the bitterness of Osborne's opposition。
When one man has been under very remarkable
obligations to another； with whom he subsequently quarrels；
a common sense of decency； as it were； makes of the
former a much severer enemy than a mere stranger
would be。 To account for your own hard…heartedness and
ingratitude in such a case； you are bound to prove the
other party's crime。 It is not that you are selfish； brutal；
and angry at the failure of a speculationno； noit is
that your partner has led you into it by the basest treachery
and with the most sinister motives。 From a mere
sense of consistency； a persecutor is bound to show that
the fallen man is a villainotherwise he； the persecutor；
is a wretch himself。
And as a general rule； which may make all creditors
who are inclined to be severe pretty comfortable in their
minds； no men embarrassed are altogether honest； very
likely。 They conceal something； they exaggerate chances
of good luck； hide away the real state of affairs； say that
things are flourishing when they are hopeless； keep a
smiling face （a dreary smile it is） upon the verge of
bankruptcyare ready to lay hold of any pretext for
delay or of any money； so as to stave off the inevitable
ruin a few days longer。 〃Down with such dishonesty；〃
says the creditor in triumph； and reviles his sinking
enemy。 〃You fool； why do you catch at a straw？〃 calm
good sense says to the man that is drowning。 〃You villain；
why do you shrink from plunging into the irretrievable
Gazette？〃 says prosperity to the poor devil battling in
that black gulf。 Who has not remarked the readiness with
which the closest of friends and honestest of men suspect
and accuse each other of cheating when they fall out
on money matters？ Everybody does it。 Everybody is right；
I suppose； and the world is a rogue。
Then Osborne had the intolerable sense of former
benefits to goad and irritate him： these are always a
cause of hostility aggravated。 Finally； he had to break off
the match between Sedley's daughter and his son； and
as it had gone very far indeed； and as the poor girl's
happiness and perhaps character were compromised； it was
necessary to show the strongest reasons for the rupture；
and for John Osborne to prove John Sedley to be a very
bad character indeed。
At the meetings of creditors； then； he comported himself
with a savageness and scorn towards Sedley； which
almost succeeded in breaking the heart of that ruined
bankrupt man。 On George's intercourse with Amelia he
put an instant vetomenacing the youth with maledictions
if he broke his commands； and vilipending the
poor innocent girl as the basest and most artful of vixens。
One of the great conditions of anger and hatred is； that
you must tell and believe lies against the hated object； in
order； as we said； to be consistent。
When the great crash camethe announcement of
ruin； and the departure from Russell Square； and the
declaration that all was over between her and Georgeall
over between her and love； her and happiness； her and
faith in the worlda brutal letter from John Osborne
told her in a few curt lines that her father's conduct had
been of such a nature that all engagements between the
families were at an endwhen the final award came； it
did not shock her so much as her parents； as her mother
rather expected （for John Sedley himself was entirely
prostrate in the ruins of his own affairs and shattered
honour）。 Amelia took the news very palely and calmly。
It was only the confirmation of the dark presages which
had long gone before。 It was the mere reading of the
sentenceof the crime she had long ago been guiltythe
crime of loving wrongly； too violently； against reason。
She told no more of her thoughts now than she had
before。 She seemed scarcely more unhappy now when
convinced all hope was over； than before when she felt but
dared not confess that it was gone。 So she changed from
the large house to the small one without any mark or
difference； remained in her little room for the most part；
pined silently； and died away day by day。 I do not mean
to say that all females are so。 My dear Miss Bullock； I
do not think your heart would break in this way。 You are
a strong…minded young woman with proper principles。
I do not venture to say that mine would； it has suffered；
and； it must be confessed； survived。 But there are some
souls thus gently constituted； thus frail； and delicate； and
tender。
Whenever old John Sedley thought of the affair
between George and Amelia； or alluded to it； it was with
bitterness almost as great as Mr。 Osborne himself had
shown。 He cursed Osborne and his family as heartless；
wicked； and ungrateful。 No power on earth； he swore；
would induce him to marry his daughter to the son of
such a villain； and he ordered Emmy to banish George
from her mind； and to return all the presents and letters
which she had ever had from him。
She promised acquiescence； and tried to obey。 She put
up the two or three trinkets： and； as for the letters； she
drew them out of the place。where she kept them； and
read them overas if she did not know them by heart
already： but she could not part with them。 That effort
was too much for her； she placed them back in her
bosom againas you have seen a woman nurse a child
that is dead。 Young Amelia felt that she would die or lose
her senses outright； if torn away from this last consolation。
How she used to bl