It was some time before she dared to communicate
this unwelcome intelligence to her sordid lord. Still, she hoped, in
spite of his parsimony, that he might wish for a son to heir his immense
wealth. Not he! He only thought of a spendthrift, who would recklessly
squander all that he toiled and starved himself to save; and he received
the promise of his paternal honors with a very bad grace.
"All the world!" he exclaimed, "are conspiring together to ruin me. I
shall be ate out of house and home by doctors and nurses, and my rest
will be constantly disturbed by squalling brats; for I suppose, madam,
that like my worthy mother, you will entail upon me two at a time. But
my mother was a strong healthy woman, not delicate and puling like you.
It is more than probable that the child may die."
"And the mother," sighed Elinor.
"Well if He who sends is pleased to take away, He will find me perfectly
resigned to His will. You need not weep, madam. If my conduct appears
unnatural, let me tell you that I consider those human beings alone
fortunate who perish in their infancy. They are in no fear of coming to
the gallows. They are saved from the threatened torments of hell!"
Elinor shrank from the wild flash of his keen dark eyes, and drew back
with an involuntary shudder. "Happy had it been for me if I had died an
infant on my mother's breast.
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