“It is from dear old Pinny; I know his handwriting. Please read it to me, Oscar. I thought that the doctor had bidden us his final good-bye last night.”
Oscar opened the letter, looked surprised at its contents, and, without comment, handed it on to his wife. The doctor’s scrawl ran thus:—
“MY DEAR CHILD,—I always thought your marriage a mistake, but I never knew till now what a great one. You must not think of sacrificing yourself by accompanying your miserable husband. His conduct cancels all obligations entered into through ignorance of the truth. I offer you a home here in Moulmein. You are my god-child, the daughter of my old friend; I will adopt you as my own. Whilst I live you shall find a parent in your old Pinny.”
Io flushed with indignation as she read; then tore the letter into minute fragments, and trampled them under her foot.
“It was kindly meant,” observed Oscar.
“What! to insult you to your own wife! to endeavour to divide me from you! O Oscar, Oscar, how little he knows me! I would rather never see daylight again than be separated from my husband!”
“Then let us now go on our way,” said Oscar, “and meet trial and misfortune together. Your palanquin waits outside.”
Io silently entered it. She put down the curtains on either side as she started for the place of embarkation, that no one might see her tear-bedewed face. Oscar walked to the docks, but by a round-about route amongst low narrow lanes, frequented only by natives. He pulled his hat over his brow, and never raised his eyes from the path before him, for the doctor’s letter had shown to him plainly that his secret was a secret no longer. Coldstream’s circuitous route brought him to the docks a little after his wife. His arrival interrupted a distressing conversation which she was having with Thud, who was making a last desperate attempt to persuade his sister to take him with her to Calcutta.
“You know that mother would never have treated me so,” cried the lad; “now she is gone, and you desert me. It is cruel, it is unnatural! it is because you are such a slave to—” Here Thud suddenly paused, for Coldstream was at his side.
“Farewell, Thud,” said Oscar, holding out his hand. “Do your duty to man and to God, and may He prosperand bless you.—Io, my love, enough of this; the sooner we are on board the better.”