These are the persons of whom it will be
principally necessary for me to speak. They are the only
prominent characters in my story.
Miss Welwyn's father died some years since. I remember him very
well--though he never excited in me, or in any one else that I
ever heard of, the slightest feeling of interest. When I have
said that he inherited a very large fortune, amassed during his
father's time, by speculations of a very daring, very fortunate,
but not always very honorable kind, and that he bought this old
house with the notion of raising his social position, by making
himself a member of our landed aristocracy in these parts, I have
told you as much about him, I suspect, as you would care to hear.
He was a thoroughly commonplace man, with no great virtues and no
great vices in him. He had a little heart, a feeble mind, an
amiable temper, a tall figure, and a handsome face. More than
this need not, and cannot, be said on the subject of Mr. Welwyn's
character.
I must have seen the late Mrs. Welwyn very often as a child; but
I cannot say that I remember anything more of her than that she
was tall and handsome, and very generous and sweet-tempered
toward me when I was in her company. She was her husband's
superior in birth, as in everything else; was a great reader of
books in all languages; and possessed such admirable talents as a
musician, that her wonderful playing on the organ is remembered
and talked of to this day among the old people in our country
houses about here.
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