Plot
The orphaned daughter of a drunken and shiftless
gold miner in New Zealand,
Catherine Baird, was induced to marry a former associate of her father, old
Peter Carmichael, owner of a sheep ranch in another part of the colony. At the
time of her father's death she met Peter's young cousin John and fell in love
with him, but as he had no means of supporting her he gave no
sign of wishing to marry her. Peter was wealthy but so harsh and niggardly, so
demanding and unfeeling, that Catherine soon hated him. A few
months after their marriage he hired his cousin to come to the ranch to assist
in its management. His presence was torture to Catherine, torn as she
was by hatred of her husband and love for John. The situation became
unendurable, and she demanded that he be sent away. Returning from town where
he had taken John for the beginning of his journey, Peter was drowned. Although
all his property was left to her, her hatred was so great that she refused to
accept it and sent for John to turn it over to him. Upon his arrival,
sympathizing with her scruples, he accepted the property on the condition that
she was to give herself with it.
GEROULD,
WINIFRED GREGORY;
A GUIDE TO TROLLOPE.
© 1948 Princeton University Press,
1976 renewed PUP
Reprinted by permission of Princeton
University Press.
Url: http://www.anthonytrollope.com/
Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés
López
©Davinia Moreno Arroyo
Universitat de Valčncia
Press
damoa2@alumni.uv.es