Wilkie Collins 
The Guilty River 

The Guilty River is a short novel, written by Wilkie Collins, late in his career. It was previously published as the 1886 Arrowsmith's Christmas Annual. The psychological impact of physical disability of a deaf man and love between a rich young man and low social status woman is the theme of this novel. The guilty river is the unattractive, filthiest stream in England. It passes by an old mill where the miller, his beautiful daughter, and a deaf lodger lived. The wealthy young man of the place, returns to his territory, after being absent for years. Accidentally he meets, this lodger and comes to know his peculiar story. Gerard and Cristal fall in love, sustaing lodger's enviousness.