“At that time, the effects of my indiscretion were but too apparent, and rendered, as I thought, deception justifiable.  I put on widow’s weeds, and gave out that my husband was a young officer, who had fallen a victim to the fatal Walcheren fever; that our marriage had been clandestine, and unknown to any of his friends:  such was my story and appearance before the agent, who believed me.  The same fabrication was put upon my grand-uncle, with equal success.  I was received into his house with parental affection; and in that house I gave birth to the dear child you now hold in your arms—­to your child, my Frank—­to the only child I shall ever have.  Yes, dear Eugenio,” continued she, pressing her rosy lips on the broad white neck of the child, “you shall be my only care, my solace, my comfort, and my joy.  Heaven, in its mercy, sent the cherub to console its wretched mother in the double pangs of guilt and separation from all she loved; and Heaven shall be repaid, by my return to its slighted, its insulted laws.  I feel that my sin is forgiven; for I have besought forgiveness night and day, with bitter tears, and Heaven has heard my prayer.  ’Go, and sin no more,’ was said to me; and upon these terms I have received forgiveness.

“You will no doubt ask, why did I not let you know all this? and why I so carefully secreted myself from you?  My reasons were founded on the known impetuosity of your character.  You, my beloved, who could brave death, and all the military consequences of desertion from a ship lying at Spithead, were not likely to listen to the suggestions of prudence when Eugenia was to be found; and, having once given out that I was a widow, I resolved to preserve the consistency of my character for my own sake—­for your sake, and for the sake of this blessed child, the only drop that has sweetened my cup of affliction.  Had you by any means discovered my place of abode, the peace of my uncle’s house, and the prospects of my child had been for ever blasted.

“Now then say, Frank, have I, or have I not, acted the part of a Roman mother?  My grand-uncle having declared his intention of making me heir to his property, for his sake, and yours, and for my child, I have preserved the strict line of duty, from which God, in his infinite mercy, grant that I may never depart.

“I first resolved upon not seeing you until I could be more my own mistress; and when, at the death of my respected relative, I was not only released from any restraint on account of his feelings, but also became still more independent in my circumstances, you might be surprised that I did not immediately impart to you the change of fortune which would have enabled us to have enjoyed the comfort of unrestricted communication.  But time, reflection, the conversation and society of my uncle and his select friends, the care of my infant, and the reading of many excellent books had wrought a great change in my sentiments.  Having once tasted the pleasures of society among virtuous women, I vowed to Heaven that no future act of mine should ever drive me from it.  The past could not be recalled; but the future was my own.