218 MEMOIR OF FLEEMING JENKIN 



He even wrote letters for her to copy and sign : 

 an innocent substitution, which may have caused 

 surprise to Ruffini or to Vernon Lee, if they ever 

 received, in the hand of Mrs. Jenkin, the very 

 obvious reflections of her husband. He had 

 always adored this wife whom he now tended and 

 sought to represent in correspondence : it was 

 now, if not before, her turn to repay the compli- 

 ment ; mind enough was left her to perceive his 

 unwearied kindness ; and as her moral qualities 

 seemed to survive quite unimpaired, a childish 

 love and gratitude were his reward. She would 

 interrupt a conversation to cross the room and 

 kiss him. If she grew excited (as she did too 

 often) it was his habit to come behind her chair 

 and pat her shoulder ; and then she would turn 

 round, and clasp his hand in hers, and look from 

 him to her visitor with a face of pride and love ; 

 and it was at such moments only that the light 

 of humanity revived in her eyes. It was hard 

 for any stranger, it was impossible for any that 

 loved them, to behold these mute scenes, to recall 

 the past, and not to weep. But to the Captain, 

 I think it was all happiness. After these so long 

 years, he had found his wife again ; perhaps 

 kinder than ever before ; perhaps now on a more 

 equal footing ; certainly, to his eyes, still beautiful. 

 And the call made on his intelligence had not been 

 made in vain. The merchants of Aux Cayes, 



