That scoundrel of a brother of yours!"
Maggie could not ask (as would have been natural, if she had been ignorant)
what Edward had done. She knew too well. But Mr. Buxton was too full of his
own thoughts and feelings to notice her much.
"Do you know he has been like the rest? Do you know he has been cheating
me--forging my name? I don't know what besides. It's well for him that
they've altered the laws, and he can't be hung for it" (a dead heavy weight
was removed from Maggie's mind), "but Mr. Henry is going to transport him.
It's worse than Crayston. Crayston only ploughed up the turf, and did not
pay rent, and sold the timber, thinking I should never miss it. But your
brother has gone and forged my name He had received all the purchase-money,
while he only gave me half, and said the rest was to come afterward. And
the ungrateful scoundrel has gone and given a forged receipt! You might
have knocked me down with a straw when Mr. Henry told me about it all last
night. 'Never talk to me of virtue and such humbug again,' I said, 'I'll
never believe in them. Every one is for what he can get.' However, Mr.
Henry wrote to the superintendent of police at Woodchester; and has gone
over himself this morning to see after it. But to think of your father
having such a son!"
"Oh my poor father!" sobbed out Maggie. "How glad I am you are dead before
this disgrace came upon us!"
"You may well say disgrace.
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