eous position I'm
in--if you could only advise me what to do--I could bear it better!"

And then he resolved that he would ask that advice without delay, and
decide nothing until she replied. There was no reason for any further
concealment: she had seen the statue herself, and must know the worst.
What she could not know was his perfect innocence of any real
unfaithfulness to her, and that he must explain.

He sat up all night composing a letter that should touch her to the
heart, with the following result:--

"MY OWN DEAREST GIRL,

"If such you will still allow me to qualify you, I write to you in
a state of mind that I really 'ardly know what I am about, but I
cannot indure making no effort to clear up the gaping abiss which
the events of the past fatal afternoon has raised betwixt us.

"In spite of all I could do, you have now seen, and been justly
alarmed at, the Person with whom I allowed myself to become
involved in such a unhappy and unprecedented manner, and having
done so, you can think for yourself whether that Art of Stone was
able for to supplant yours for a single moment, though the way in
which such a hidgeous Event transpired I can not trust my pen to
describe except in the remark that it was purely axidental. It all
appened on that ill-ominous Saturday when we went down to those
Gardens where my Doom was saving up to lay in wait for me, and I
scorn to deny that Bella's sister Ada was one of the party. But as
to anything serous in that quarter, oh Tilly the ole time I was
contrasting you with her and thinking how truly superior, and never
did I swerve not what could be termed a swerve for a instant. I did
dance arf a walz with her--but why? Because she asked me to it and
as a Gentleman I was bound to oblige! And that was afterwards too,
when I had put that ring on which is the sauce of all my recent
aggony. All the while I was dancing my thoughts were elsewhere--on
how I could get the ring back again, for so I still hoped I could,
though when I came to have a try, oh my dear girl no one couldn't
persuade her she's that obstinate, and yet unless I do it is all
over with me, and soon too!

"And now if it's the last time I shall ever write words with a
mortal pen, I must request your support in this dilemmer which is
sounding its dread orns at my very door!