a thick black veil, and no mortal had ever seen her face, except her
faithful domestic, to the day of her death. She and Mrs Hardman
retired to a distant part of the country, to leave the bride and
bridegroom in undisturbed possession of the estate. Mrs Hardman did
not long survive her son's marriage. On her death, it was discovered
that all the property at her disposal she had left to her son--to be
enjoyed after his death by Catherine--who, the testatrix never
doubted, when she executed the will (for which purpose she made her
solitary journey to Barnstable), would, if ever he reappeared, become
Herbert's wife.

But how fared the married pair?

At first they lived happily enough; but, when the enthusiasm of love
was over, other excitements were sought. They removed to London.
Herbert became wildly dissipated, and his wife habitually expensive.
The estate was soon impoverished, trees cut down, and the whole
steeped in mortgages. Crime succeeded. By a legal juggle, Catherine
was deprived of her reversionary rights; and when every penny was
gone, the wretched Hardman ended his days in a debtor's prison. His
wife followed him, leaving no child to inherit the estates.

Catherine had, during all this while, lived with her father till his
decease, which took place just before that of Herbert. She then
removed to Coote-down, which had come into her possession, failing
nearer heirs--her father having been a cousin two degrees removed
from the late Mr Hardman, senior. There she had lived on for years,
without any attempt to improve the ruined property, and in the
seclusion in which I saw her at my visit.