"Besides," continued she, "gold is now being found here in Australia.
Many of the miners are coming home again. I'm sure he will be among
them. It is true, he is a little wild for his years; but he will not
always be so. He will return to his wife; and we shall be once more
happy."
"Mother! Am I to understand that you refuse to accompany me to
England?"
"Rowland, my son," said she, in a reproachful tone, "how can you ask me
to go away from here, when I tell you that I am every day expecting my
husband to return? Wait awhile, till he comes; and then we will all go
together."
Certainly to have said anything more to her on the subject would have
been folly. It would be no use in trying to reason with her, after that
proposal. The idea of my going aboard of a ship, on a long voyage,
accompanied by Mr Leary--even supposing the man to have been in the
land of the living--was too incongruous to be entertained and at the
same time preserve tranquillity of spirit.
I was tempted to tell her, that Mr Leary had met the reward of his long
career of crime--or, at least, a part of it--but, when I reflected on
her extreme delusions concerning the man, I feared that such a
communication might be dangerous to her mind.
From Martha I learnt what was indeed already known to me: that our
mother had been all along willing and ready to sacrifice not only her
own happiness, but that of her children, for the sake of this vile
caitiff. My sister told me, that when they reached Liverpool, and found
that Mr Leary had gone to Sydney, my mother determined to follow him
immediately; and that William had been left behind in Liverpool, because
she thought that coming without him she would be better received by the
wretch whom she called her husband.
On reaching Sydney, they had found Mr Leary passing under the name of
Mathews. He was at first disposed to have nothing to do with his Dublin
wife; but having come to the knowledge that she was in possession of
about fifteen pounds of the money received for her lease, he changed his
mind; and lived with her, until he had spent every penny of it in drink
and dissipation.
"Until he sailed for California," said Martha, "he used to come every
day, and stay awhile with mother--whenever he thought that he could
obtain a shilling by doing so; and then we saw him no more. Ah,
Rowland! I have had much suffering since we were together. Many days
have I gone without eating a morsel--in order that money might be saved
for Mr Leary. Oh! I hope we shall never see him again!"
"You never will see him again," said I; "he is gone, where our poor
mother will be troubled with him no more: he is dead."
Martha was an impulsive creature; and in her excitement at hearing the
news, exclaimed--
"Thank God for it! No! no!" she continued, as if repenting what she had
said, "I don't mean that; but if he is dead, it will be well for mother;
he will never trouble her again."
I made known to my sister all the particulars of Leary's death. She
agreed with me in the idea I had already entertained: that the
intelligence could not with safety be communicated to our mother.
"I don't believe," said Martha, "that any woman in this world ever loved
a man so much as mother does Mr Leary. I am sure, Rowland, it would
kill her, to hear what you have just told me."
"But we must bring her to know it in some way," said I; "She must be
told of his death: for I can see that she will not consent to leave
Sydney, so long as she believes him to be alive. We cannot return to
England, and leave her here; and it is evident she won't go with us,
while she thinks there is the slightest chance of his coming back. We
must tell her that he is dead, and take chance of the consequences."
My sister made no rejoinder to my proposal; and, while speaking, I
fancied that my words, instead of being welcome, were having an
unpleasant effect upon her!
Judging by the expression upon her features, I did not think it was fear
for the result of any communication I might make to our mother, though
what caused it, I could not guess.
Whenever I had spoken about returning to Europe, I observed that my
sister did not appear at all gratified with my proposal, but the
contrary!
I could not comprehend, why she should object to an arrangement, that
was intended for the happiness of all. There was some mystery about her
behaviour, that was soon to receive an elucidation--to me as unexpected,
as it was painful.
Volume Two, Chapter XVII.