``And now,'' he said, in a mournful voice, ``give
me my mother's narrative.''
Hartley almost started, and answered hastily,
``You have the poor lady's letter, which was addressed
to yourself---the narrative is addressed to
me. It is my warrant for disposing of a large sum
of money---it concerns the rights of third parties,
and I cannot part with it.''
``Surely, surely it were better to deliver it into
my hands, were it but to weep over it,'' answered
Middlemas. ``My fortune, Hartley, has been very
cruel. You see that my parents purposed to have
made me their undoubted heir; yet their purpose
was disappointed by accident. And now my mother
comes with well-intended fondness, and while
she means to advance my fortune, furnishes evidence
to destroy it.---Come, come, Hartley---you
must be conscious that my mother wrote those details
entirely for my information. I am the rightful
owner, and insist on having them.''
``I am sorry I must insist on refusing your demand,''
answered Hartley, putting the papers in
his pocket. ``You ought to consider, that if this
communication has destroyed the idle and groundless
hopes which you have indulged in, it has, at
the same time, more than trebled your capital;
and that if there are some hundreds or thousands
in the world richer than yourself, there are many
millions not half so well provided.
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