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opportunity of completing the conversion of Romayne。 During this
interval； my copies of the papers are at the disposal of my
reverend brethren at headquarters。
THE STOLEN PAPERS。（COPIES。）
_Number One。From Emma Winterfield to Bernard Winterfield。_
4 Maidwell Buildings； Belhaven。
How shall I address you？ Dear Bernard； or Sir？ It doesn't matter。
I am going to do one of the few good actions of my life： and
familiarities or formalities matter nothing to a woman who lies
on her deathbed。
YesI have met with another accident。 Shortly after the date of
our separation； you heard； I think； of the fall in the circus
that fractured my skull？ On that occasion； a surgical operation；
and a bit of silver plate in place of the bone； put me right
again。 This time it has been the kick of a horse； in the stables。
Some internal injury is the consequence。 I may die to…morrow； or
live till next week。 Anywaythe doctor has confessed itmy time
has come。
Mind one thing。 The drinkthat vile habit which lost me your
love and banished me from your housethe drink is not to blame
for this last misfortune。 Only the day before it happened I had
taken the pledge； under persuasion of the good rector here； the
Reverend Mr。 Fennick。 It is he who has brought me to make this
confession； and who takes it down in writing at my bedside。 Do
you remember how I once hated the very name of a parsonand when
you proposed； in joke； to marry me before the registrar； how I
took it in downright earnest； and kept you to your word？ We poor
horse…riders and acrobats only knew clergymen as the worst
enemies we hadalways using their influence to keep the people
out of our show； and the bread out of our mouths。 If I had met
with Mr。 Fennick in my younger days； what a different woman I
might have been！
Well； regrets of that kind are useless now。 I am truly sorry；
Bernard； for the evil that I have done to you； and I ask your
pardon with a contrite heart。
You will at least allow it in my favor that your drunken wife
knew she was unworthy of you。 I refused to accept the allowance
that you offered to me。 I respected your name。 For seven years
from the time of our separation I returned to my profession under
an assumed name and never troubled you。 The one thing I could not
do was to forget you。 If you were infatuated by my unlucky
beauty； I loved devotedly on my side。 The well…born gentleman who
had sacrificed everything for my sake； was something more than
mortal in my estimation； he wasno！ I won't shock the good man
who writes this by saying what he was。 Besides； what do you care
for my thoughts of you now？
If you had only been content to remain as I left youor if I had
not found out that you were in love with Miss Eyrecourt； and were
likely to marry her； in the belief that death had released you
from meI should have lived and died； doing you no other injury
than the first great injury of consenting to be your wife。
But I made the discoveryit doesn't matter how。 Our circus was
in Devonshire at the time。 My jealous rage maddened me； and I had
a wicked admirer in a man who was old enough to be my father。 I
let him suppose that the way to my favor lay through helping my
revenge on the woman who was about to take my place。 He found the
money to have you watched at home and abroad； he put the false
announcement of my death in the daily newspapers； to complete
your delusion； he baffled the inquiries made through your lawyers
to obtain positive proof of my death。 And last； and （in those
wicked days） best service of all he took me to Brussels and
posted me at the door of the English church； so that your lawful
wife （with her marriage certificate in her hand） was the first
person who met you and the mock Mrs。 Winterfield on your way from
the altar to the wedding breakfast。
I own it； to my shame。 I triumphed in the mischief I had done。
But I had deserved to suffer； and I did suffer； when I heard that
Miss Eyrecourt's mother and her two friends took her away from
youwith her own entire approvalat the church door； and
restored her to society； without a stain on her reputation。 How
the Brussels marriage was kept a secret； I could not find out。
And when I threatened them with exposure； I got a lawyer's
letter； and was advised in my own interests to hold my tongue。
The rector has since told me that your marriage to Miss Eyrecourt
could be lawfully declared null and void； and that the
circumstances would excuse _you_； before any judge in England。 I
can now well understand that people； with rank and money to help
them； can avoid exposure to which the poor； in their places； must
submit。
One more。 duty （the last） still remains to be done。
I declare solemnly； on my deathbed； that you acted in perfect
good faith when you married Miss Eyrecourt。 You have not only
been a man cruelly injured by me； but vilely insulted and
misjudged by the two Eyrecourts； and by the lord and lady who
encouraged them to set you down as a villain guilty of heartless
and shameless deceit。
It is my conviction that these people might have done more than
misinterpret your honorable submission to the circumstances in
which you were placed。 They might have prosecuted you for
bigamyif they could have got me to appear against you。 I am
comforted when I remember that I did make some small amends。 I
kept out of their way and yours； from that day to this。
I am told that I owe it to you to leave proof of my death behind
me。
When the doctor writes my certificate； he will mention the mark
by which I may be identified； if this reaches you （as I hope and
believe it will） between the time of my death and my burial。 The
rector； who will close and seal these lines； as soon as the
breath is out of my body； will add what he can to identify me；
and the landlady of this house is ready to answer any questions
that may be put to her。 This time you may be really assured that
you are free。 When I am buried； and they show you my nameless
grave in the churchyard； I know your kind heartI die； Bernard；
in the firm belief that you will forgive me。
There was one thing more that I had to ask of you； relating to a
poor lost creature who is in the room with us at this moment。
But； oh； I am so weary！ Mr。 Fennick will tell you what it is。 Say
to yourself sometimesperhaps when you have married some lady
who is worthy of youThere w