I also wrote to my wife, to the
effect that the pressure of my parliamentary duties would prevent me
from seeing her for a couple of months.
"In this position matters were for about a fortnight or three weeks,
when, at last, a letter reached me from my sister-in-law, giving a
detailed account of my wife's death, and stating that she and Miss
Norton were about to make a tour to Italy, for the purpose of acquiring
the language. This letter was a diabolical falsehood, Sir Edward; but it
accomplished its purpose. She had gleaned enough of intelligence in the
family, by observation and otherwise, to believe that my wife's death
alone would enable me, in a short time, to become united to Lady Emily;
and that if my marriage with her took place whilst her sister lived, I
believing her to be dead, she would punish me for what she considered my
neglect of her, and my unjustifiable attachment to another woman during
Maria's life. All communication ceased between us. My wife was unable
to write; but from what her sister stated to her, probably with
exaggerations, her pride prevented her from holding any correspondence
with a husband who refused to acknowledge his marriage with her, and
whose affections had been transferred to another.
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