Curiosities & wonders > Tales of the castle, or, Stories of instruction and delight

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TALES OF THE CASTLE.
she related her history, and satisfied his curio¬
sity.
Her situation, however, was at this instant as
critical as it was distressing: in a week she had
expended on Jerome what little money she pos¬
sessed, except just enough to supply them for
four or five days. But Jerome could not, with¬
out the most imminent danger, begin to work
again so soon, and she shuddered with fear lest
necessity should urge him to labour once more
at the hazard of his life. Then it was that she
felt all the horror of want, and reproached her¬
self most bitterly for having accepted the money
of the generous Jerome. Had it not been for
me, said she, he would have been happy; Jiis
industry would have procured him a comfort¬
able livelihood: his faithful attachment to me
has robbed him of ease, health, and happi¬
ness—nay, yet, perhaps of life—And I must
sink to the grave without acquitting this vast
obligation—Acquitting! —Alas ! were the uni¬
verse at my command it would be impossible!—
God alone can discharge a debt so sacred! God
alone can worthily reward virtue so sublime!
One evening as Madame F. sat profound¬
ly absorbed in such melancholy reflections,
Susan came running, out of breath, to tell her