"'What ails you, Rachel?' grumbled the hard woman; 'disturbing a body at this hour of the night.'
"'Be it night or morning,' said my mother, 'I am dying, and this hour will be my last.'
"'Then in the name of God! send for the doctor.'
"'It is too late now. He can do me no good: I am going fast; but there is something on my mind, mother, which I must tell you before I go. Sit down beside me on the bed, whilst I have strength left to do it, and swear to me mother, that you will not abuse the confidence I am about to repose in you.'
"'That will not do. I must have your solemn word--your oath!'
"'What good will that do, Rachel? no oath can bind me--I believe in no God, and fear no devil!'
"This confession was accompanied by a hideous, cackling laugh. Rachel groaned aloud.
"'Oh, mother! there is a God--an avenging God! Could you feel what I now feel, and see what I now see, like the devils, you would believe and tremble. You will know it one day, and like me, find out that repentance comes too late. I will, however, tell the plain truth, and your diabolical policy, will, doubtless, suggest the use which may be made of such an important secret.'
"There was a long pause, after which some sentences passed between them, in such a low voice, that I could not distinctly hear them; at last I heard my mother say,
"'You never saw these children, or you would not wonder that my heart so clave to that fair babe. You thought that I accepted Robert Moncton's bribe, and put the other child out of the way.'
"'And did you not?' cried the eager old woman, breathless with curiosity.
"'I took the bribe. But the child died a natural death, and I was saved the commission of a frightful crime, which you and your master were constantly writing to me, to urge me to commit. Now, listen, mother.'
"What she said was in tones so low, that, though I strained every nerve to listen, as I should have done, had it been a ghost story, or any tale of horror, the beating of my own heart frustrated all my endeavours.
"Rachel's communication appeared to astonish her mother. Her dark, wrinkled brows contracted until not a particle of the eyes were visible, and she sat for a long while in deep thought, rocking herself to and fro on the bed, whilst the dying woman regarded her with expanded eyes and raised hands, locked tightly together. At last she spoke.