noon
I answered her letter , which was addressed to her own mother -- then quite ill at home -- and I told her precisely what she might expect , if she persisted in her insane folly . As soon as my wife convalesced sufficiently to render my departure advisable , I started to bring my daughter home ; but she ran away , a few hours before my arrival , and while , hoping to rescue Ellice , I was in pursuit of the precious pair , my wife relapsed and died -- the victim of excitement brought on by her child 's disgrace . I came back here to a desolate , silent house ; -- bereft of wife and daughter ; and in the grave of her mother , I buried every atom of love and tenderness I ever entertained for Ellice . When the sun is suddenly blotted out at noon , and the world turns black -- black , we grope to and fro aimlessly ; but after awhile , we accommodate ourselves to the darkness ; -- and so , I became a different man -- very hard , and I dare say very bitter . The world soon learned that I would tolerate no illusion to my disgrace , and people respected my family cancer , and prudently refrained from offering me nostrums to cure it . My wife had a handsome estate of her own right , and every cent of her fortune I collected , and sent with her jewelry to Ellice . Did you know this ? ''