While they were thus employed the postman's knock was heard, and a letter was brought in from the far-away Australian exiles.

The period at which these monthly missives arrived were moments of intense anxiety, and the letter was seized upon with eager avidity.

It was from Gertrude to her mother, as all these letters were; but in such a production they had a joint property, and it was hardly possible to say who first mastered its contents.
It will only be necessary here to give some extracts from the letter, which was by no means a short one.

So much must be done in order that our readers may know something of the fate of those who perhaps may be called the hero and heroine of the tale.

The author does not so call them; he professes to do his work without any such appendages to his story--heroism there may be, and he hopes there is--more or less of it there should be in a true picture of most characters; but heroes and heroines, as so called, are not commonly met with in our daily walks of life.
Before Gertrude's letter had been disposed of, Norman and Charley came in, and it was therefore discussed in full conclave.
Alaric's path in the land of his banishment had not been over roses.