Maria: or, The Wrongs of Woman

The editor breaks in to explain that the novel is unfinished, but he assumes that readers will be emotionally invested in the characters and want to know more. Thus, the editor is including the remaining fragments that the author left unfinished at the time of her death, including “broken paragraphs and half-finished sentences” (136).

Darnford has finished reading Maria’s narrative and sends it back to her accompanied by a letter. He is very sympathetic to her suffering and outraged that marriage leads to so much suffering for women. He asks Maria to agree to meet with him again, and she does so. They begin to meet regularly in Maria’s cell and now have a much more openly romantic relationship, in which “as her husband she now received him” (138).

One day, the asylum master comes to see Maria in her cell, bringing a letter from George’s attorney. The attorney confirms that Maria’s child has died and encourages Maria to give half of her money to George; if she does so, the attorney claims that she will be released and allowed to travel to Italy. Maria refuses. Later that day, she and Henry are alone in her cell, and he mentions that he is afraid they are going to be separated and wants to cement their bond with one another.