"But why did she do so?"
"She was much upset about her lover."
"Did he leave her?"
"The rope-girl[37] took him."
[37] I.e., the gallows.
Henrietta listened with a sort of stupefaction to the cynical answers of the old scoundrel, and her heart grew heavy within her. To think that that merry, rosy cheeked young woman should have killed herself out of grief for her lover.
"Then who is carrying on the house?" enquired Squire Gerzson.
"Nobody. All the servants bolted after the funeral, in order that they might not appear as witnesses."
"Then why do you remain here all alone?"
"Because if I went on my way, everyone would be sure to say that I had murdered the hostess, I mean to remain here till they come for me."