And he would gladly have seen Julian by his bedside, to have freely forgiven the lad, and welcomed him home again, and begun once more, in openness and charity, all things fair and new: but Julian was not to be found, though rewards were offered, and placards posted up, and emissaries from the Detective Police-force sought him far and wide.

Alas! the bold bad man had heard with scorn of his father's penitence, and knew that he would gladly have received him;--but what cared he for kindnesses or pardons?
He only lived to waylay Emily.
As for Mrs.Tracy, she was seldom in a state to appear; but one day she managed to refrain a little, and came to see her husband, almost sober.
I was, authorially speaking, behind the door, and saw and heard as follows: The old man, worn and emaciate, was weakly sitting up in bed, and Emma by his side, with the Bible in her lap: she casually shut it as the mother entered.
"Well, Miss Warren, there's a time for all things; but this is neither morning, noon, nor night: nor Sunday either, nor holiday, that I know of; it's eleven o'clock on Tuesday, Miss--and I think you might as well leave the general at peace, without troubling him for ever with your prayer-books and your Bibles." "Jane, my dear, I requested it of Emily; come and sit by me, and take my hand, wife." "Thank you, sir, you are very obliging: not while that young woman is in the room .-- You ought to be ashamed of yourself, General Tracy." Poor Emmy ran away to weep.

It seems that, in her delirium, she had spoken many things, and the servants blabbed them out to Mrs.Tracy.
"Ah, my poor wife, indeed I am: both ashamed and sorry--heartily sorry.
But God forgives me, Jenny, and I hope that you will too." "Upon, my word, general, you carry it off with a high hand: and, not content, sir, with insulting me in my own home by bringing here your other women's children, you have expelled poor dear, dear Julian." "Jane, if you will remember, he ran away himself; and you know that now I gladly would receive him: we are all prodigal sons together, and if God can bear with us, Jane, we ought to look kindly on each other." "Ha! that's always the way with old sinners like you--canting hypocrites! Be a man, General Tracy, if you can, and talk sense.

I never did any harm or sin in all my life yet, and don't intend to: and my poor boy Julian's well enough, if they'd only let him alone; but nobody understands his heart but me.

Good boy, I'm sure there's virtue enough left in him, if he loves his mother."-- _If_ he loves his mother.
"Jane, dear, I sent for you to kiss you; for I could not die in peace, nor live in peace (whichever God may please), without your pardon, Jane, for a thousand unkindnesses--but, especially for the sin that gave me Emily.