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the young man。
〃There is nothing left； Hester； for the child or her mother；〃 said the merchant； sitting down in a rocking…chair in his wife's room。 〃All gone； all wasted； five times the capital I had to begin with。 I have just made an investment； of which I shall give the profits to Tallman's lady； four lots that were offered to me last week； if that turns out well； I shall go on； and it may perhaps make up a pretty property for the child； in time。〃
〃Oh； husband； don't talk to me about such things now； I can't think of anything but my poor boy's death！〃
〃It was an unexpected calamity； Hester；〃 said the father； with one natural look of sorrow； 〃but we cannot always escape trouble in this world。〃
〃I feel as if we had not done our duty by him！〃 said the poor mother。
〃Why not？…he was very handsomely set up in business；〃 remonstrated Mt。 Taylor。
〃I was not thinking of money；〃 replied his wife； shaking her head。 〃But it seems as if we only took him away from my brother's； in the country； just to throw him in the way of temptation as he was growing up； and let him run wild； and do everything he took a fancy to。〃
〃We did no more than other parents； in taking him home with us； to give him a better education than he could have got at your brother's。〃
〃Husband； husband！it is but a poor education that don't teach a child to do what is right！ I feel as if we had never taught him what we ought to。 I did not know he had got so many bad ways until lately； and now that I do know it； my heart is broken！〃
〃Tallman was not so bad as you make him out。 He was no worse than a dozen other young gentlemen I could name at this very minute。〃
〃Oh； I would give everything we are worth to bring him back！but it is too latetoo late！〃
〃No use in talking now； Hester。〃
〃We ought to have taken more pains with him。 He didn't know the danger he was in； and we did； or we ought to have known it。 Taking a young man of a sudden； from a quiet； minister's family in the country； like my brother's； and giving him all the money he wanted； and turning him out into temptation。Oh； it's dreadful！〃
〃All the pains in the world； Hester； won't help a young man； unless he chooses himself。 What could I do； or you either？ Didn't we send him to school and to college？didn't we give him an opportunity of beginning life with a fine property； and married to one of the handsomest girls in the country； daughter of one of the best families； too？ What more can you do for a young man？ He must do the rest himself； you can't expect to keep him tied to your apron…string all his life。〃
〃Oh； no； but husband； while he was young we ought to have taken more pains to teach him not to think so much about the ways of the world。 There are other things besides getting money and spending money； to do； it seems to me now as if money had only helped my poor boy to his ruin！〃
〃Your notions are too gloomy； Mrs。 Taylor。 Such calamities will happen； and we should not let them weigh us down too much。〃
〃If I was to live a hundred years longer； I never could feel as I did before our son's death。 Oh； to think what a beautiful； innocent child he was twenty years ago； this time！〃
〃You shouldn't let your mind run so much on him that's gone。 It's unjust to the living。〃
The poor woman made no answer； but wept bitterly for some time。
〃It's my only comfort now；〃 she said； at length； 〃to think that we have learned wisdom by what's passed。 As long as I live； day and night； I shall labour to teach our younger children not to set their hearts upon the world； not to think so much about riches。〃
〃Well； I must say； Hester； if you think all poor people are saints； I calculate you make a mistake。〃
〃I don't say that； husband； but it seems to me that we have never yet thought enough of the temptations of riches； more especially to young people； to young menabove all； when it comes so sudden as it did to our poor boy。 What good did money ever do him？it only brought him into trouble！〃
〃Because Tallman didn't make the most of his opportunities； that is no reason why another should not。 If I had wasted money as he did； before I could afford it； I never should have made a fortune either。 The other boys will do better； I reckon； they will look more to business than he did； and turn out rich men themselves。〃
〃It isn't the money！it isn't the money I am thinking of！〃 exclaimed the poor mother； almost in despair at her husband's blindness to her feelings。
〃What is it then you take so much to heart？〃
〃It's remembering that we never warned our poor child； we put him in the way of temptation； where he only learned to think everything of the world and its ways； we didn't take pains enough to do our duty； as parents； by him！〃
〃Well； Hester； I must say you are a very unreasonable lady！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Taylor； who was getting impatient under his wife's observations。 〃One would think it was all my fault； do you mean to say it was wrong in me to grow rich？〃
〃I am afraid it would have been better for us； and for our children； if you hadn't made so much money；〃 replied the wife。 〃The happiest time of our life was the first ten years after we were married； when we had enough to be comfortable； and we didn't care so much about show。 I am sure money hasn't made me happy； I don't believe it can make anybody happy！〃
Mr。 Taylor listened in amazement； but his straightforward； quiet wife； had been for several years gradually coming to the opinion she had just expressed； and the death of her eldest son had affected her deeply。 The merchant； finding that he was not very good at consolation； soon changed the conversation； giving up the hope of lessening the mother's grief； or of bringing her to what he considered more rational views of the all…importance of wealth。
As soon as Jane felt equal to the exertion； she accompanied Miss Agnes and Elinor to Wyllys…Roof。 During the three years of her married life she had never been there； having passed most of the time either at Charleston or New Orleans。 Many changes had occurred in that short period； changes of outward circumstances； and of secret feeling。 Her last visit to Wyllys…Roof had taken place just after her return from France； when she was tacitly engaged to young Taylor； at a moment when she had been more gay； more brilliantly handsome than at any other period of her life。 Now； she returned there； a weeping； mourning widow； wretchedly depressed in spirits； and feeble in health。 She was still very lovely； however； the elevated style of her beauty was such； that it appeared finer under the shadow of grief； than in the sunshine of gaiety； and it is only beauty of the very highest order which will bear this test。 Her deep mourning dress was in harmony with her whole appearance and expression； and it was not possible to see her at this moment； without being struck by her exceeding loveliness。 Jane was only seen by the family； however； and one or two very intimate friends； she remained entirely in the privacy of her own room； where Elinor was generally at her side； endeavouring to soothe her cousin's grief； by the gentle balm of sympathy and affection。
CHAPTER XII。 ｛XXXV｝
〃Do thou stand for my father； and examine me upon the particulars of my life。〃
〃What manner of man； an't please your majesty！〃 Henry IV。
｛William Shakespeare； 〃1 Henry IV〃； II。iv。375…376； 420…421｝
HAZLEHURST's affairs had not remained stationary； in the mean time； Mrs。 Stanley and himself were already at Wyllys…Roof； when Miss Wyllys and Elinor returned home； accompanied by the widowed Jane。 The ladies had received frequent intelligence of the progress of his affairs； from Mr。 Wyllys's letters； still there were many details to be explained when the party was re…united； as several important steps had been taken while they were in New York。 Mr。 Clapp was no longer the only counsel employed by the claimant； associated with the Longbridge attorney； now appeared the name of Mr。 Reed； a lawyer of highly respectable standing in New York； a brother…in…law of Judge Bernard's； and a man of a character far superior to that of Mr。 Clapp。 He was slightly acquainted with Mr。 Wyllys； and had written very civil letters； stating that he held the proofs advanced by his client； to be quite decisive as to his identity； and he proposed an amicable meeting； with the hope that Mr。 Stanley's claim might be acknowledged without farther difficulty。 That Mr。 Reed should have taken the case into his hands； astonished Hazlehurst and his friends； so long as Clapp managed the affair； they felt little doubt as to its beings a coarse plot of his own； but they had now become impatient to inquire more closely into the matter。 Mrs。 Stanley was growing very uneasy； Hazlehurst was anxious to proceed farther as soon as possible； but Mr。 Wyllys was still nearly as sanguine as ever。 All parties seemed to desire a personal interview； Mr。 Reed offered to accompany his client to Wyllys…Roof； to wait on Mrs。 Stanley； and a day had been appointed for the meeting； which was to take place as soon as Harry's opponent； who had been absent from Longbridge； should return。 The morning fixed for the interview； happened to be that succeeding the arrival of the ladies； and it will be easily imagined that every membe