Caroline felt quite
shaken by it, but stood firm, though, as she said, it went to her
heart to deny the child who ought to have had equal shares with
herself, and she would have been thankful if Janet would have given
way.
Of this, however, Janet had no thoughts, strong in the conviction
that the child could not make the same reasonable use of the fittings
of the room as she could herself, and by no means disposed not "to
seek her own."
She had numerous papers, notes of lectures, returned essays from her
society, and the like to dispose of, and she rejoiced in placing them
in the compartments of the great bureau, in the lower room. The
lawyers had cleared all before her, and the space was delightful.
All personals must have been carried off by the servants as
perquisites, for she found no traces of the former occupant till she
came to a little bed-side table. The drawer was not locked, but did
not open without difficulty, being choked with notes and letters in
envelopes, directed to J. Barnes, Esquire. This perhaps accounted
for the drawer not having been observed and emptied. Janet shook the
contents out into a basket, and was going to take them to her uncle,
but thought it could do no harm first to see whether there were
anything curious or interesting in them.
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