he Duke had been no more than any other gentleman,
almost as though she had a right to call upon him to wait upon her.
He understood and admired the courage of this;--but nevertheless he
would not go to her. He had trusted her with that which of all things
was the most sacred to him, and she had deceived him! He wrote to her
as follows:

The Duke of Omnium presents his compliments to Mrs. Finn.
As the Duke thinks that no good could result either to
Mrs. Finn or to himself from an interview, he is obliged
to say that he would rather not do as Mrs. Finn has
requested.

But for the strength of this conviction the Duke would
have waited upon Mrs. Finn most willingly.

Mrs. Finn when she received this was not surprised. She had felt sure
that such would be the nature of the Duke's answer; but she was also
sure that if such an answer did come she would not let the matter
rest. The accusation was so bitter to her that she would spare
nothing in defending herself,--nothing in labour and nothing in time.
She would make him know that she was in earnest. As she could not
succeed in getting into his presence she must do this by letter,--and
she wrote her letter, taking two days to think of her words.

May 18, 18--.

MY DEAR DUKE OF OMNIUM,

As you will not come to me, I must trouble your Grace
to read what I fear will be a long letter. For it is
absolutely necessary that I should explain my conduct to
you. That you have condemned me I am sure you will not
deny;--nor that you have punished me as far as the power
of punishment was in your hands. If I can succeed in
making you see that you have judged me wrongly, I think
you will admit your error and beg my pardon. You are not
one who from your nature can be brought easily to do this;
but you are one who will certainly do it if you can be
made to feel that by not doing so you would be unjust. I
am myself so clear as to my own rectitude of purpose and
conduct, and am so well aware of your perspicuity, that
I venture to believe that if you will read this letter I
shall convince you.

Before I go any further I will confess that the matter is
one,--I was going to say almost of life and death to me.
Circumstances, not of my own seeking, have for some years
past thrown me so closely into intercourse with your
family that now to be cast off, and to be put on one side
as a disgraced pe