Journal

CHAP 46: GILBERT’S ADVICE TO LAWRENCE
Gilbert hears of Helen through her brother. Meanwhile Lawrence has been
seeing quite a bit of Jane Wilson and Gilbert knows that Jane has set her eyes
on him, but he warns Lawrence against her, partly for her cold-hearted
ambitious
shallow-minded
character and
partly because (not
knowing that
Helen was his
sister and fearing
her as a rival) she
hates Helen.
While not
admitting it to Gilbert, Lawrence does subsequently heed the advice.
CHAP 47: HELEN GOES BACK TO HUNTINGDON
Hearing from Eliza that Helen has gone back to her husband Gilbert rushes
off to Lawrence. Yes, she has returned to Grassdale — but the reason is that
Arthur is seriously ill. Lawrence has a letter from her which Gilbert insists on
seeing.
Letter 1: Arthur is gravely ill but is ungrateful to Helen for her patient care,
claiming that she acts solely for her heavenly reward and that she hopes her
charity will ‘heap coals of fire on his head’.
Lawrence agrees to show Gilbert all future letters from Helen.
CHAP 48: THE IRRITABLE PATIENT
Letter 2: Arthur has improved, but with the improvement comes increasing
irritability. Esther refuses to marry according to her parents’ wishes and
suffers for it. Sanctioned by Helen’s permission Gilbert tells the true facts of
Helen’s history to Rose and their mother. Rose will tell Eliza and so the whole
village will see Helen in a more favourable light.
Postscript on Eliza Millward: She marries a tradesman.
Postscript on Jane Wilson: Being unable to find a husband good enough,
she becomes a cold-hearted supercilious, censorious old maid.
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