第73部分(第1/8 頁)

For　some　minutes　no　one　spoke。　Diana　then　turned　to　me。

“Jane；　you　will　wonder　at　us　and　our　mysteries；”　she　said；　“and　think　us　hard…hearted　beings　not　to　be　more　moved　at　the　death　of　so　near　a　relation　as　an　uncle；　but　we　have　never　seen　him　or　known　him。　He　was　my　mother’s　brother。　My　father　and　he　quarrelled　long　ago。　It　was　by　his　advice　that　my　father　risked　most　of　his　property　in　the　speculation　that　ruined　him。　Mutual　recrimination　passed　between　them：　they　parted　in　anger；　and　were　never　reconciled。　My　uncle　engaged　afterwards　in　more　prosperous　undertakings：　it　appears　he　realised　a　fortune　of　twenty　thousand　pounds。　He　was　never　married；　and　had　no　near　kindred　but　ourselves　and　one　other　person；　not　more　closely　related　than　we。　My　father　always　cherished　the　idea　that　he　would　atone　for　his　error　by　leaving　his　possessions　to　us；　that　letter　informs　us　that　he　has　bequeathed　every　penny　to　the　other　relation；　with　the　exception　of　thirty　guineas；　to　be　divided　between　St。　John；　Diana；　and　Mary　Rivers；　for　the　purchase　of　three　mourning　rings。　He　had　a　right；　of　course；　to　do　as　he　pleased：　and　yet　a　momentary　damp　is　cast　on　the　spirits　by　the　receipt　of　such　news。　Mary　and　I　would　have　esteemed　ourselves　rich　with　a　thousand　pounds　each；　and　to　St。　John　such　a　sum　would　have　been　valuable；　for　the　good　it　would　have　enabled　him　to　do。”

This　explanation　given；　the　subject　was　dropped；　and　no　further　reference　made　to　it　by　either　Mr。　Rivers　or