t a quarter before nine; but though he had lived in
the same house for above fifteen years, and though he was a man very
anxious to get his letters, he had never yet learned the truth about
them. He was satisfied in his ignorance with 9.15 A.M., but on this
occasion the post-boy, as usual, was ten minutes after that time. Mr
Whittlestaff had got through his second cup of tea, and was stranded
in his chair, having nothing to do, with the empty cup and plates
before him for the space of two minutes; and, consequently, when he
had sent some terrible message out to the post-boy, and then had read
the one epistle which had arrived on this morning, he thus liberated
his mind: "I'll be whipped if I will have anything to do with her."
But this must not be taken as indicating the actual state of his
mind; but simply the condition of anger to which he had been reduced
by the post-boy. If any one were to explain to him afterwards that he
had so expressed himself on a subject of such importance, he would
have declared of himself that he certainly deserved to be whipped
himself. In order that he might in truth make up his mind on the
subject, he went out with his hat and stick into the long walk, and
there thought out the matter to its conclusion. The letter which he
held in his pocket ran as follows:--

ST. TAWELL'S, NORWICH, February 18--.

MY DEAR MR WHITTLESTAFF,--Poor Mrs Lawrie has gone at
last. She died this morning at seven o'clock, and poor
Mary is altogether alone in the world. I have asked her
to come in among us for a few days at any rate, till the
funeral shall be over. But she has refused, knowing, I
suppose, how crowded and how small our house is. What is
she to do? You know all the circumstances much better than
I do. She says herself that she had always been intended
for a governess, and that she will, of course, follow out
the intention which had been fixed on between her and her
father before his death. But it is a most weary prospect,
especially for one who has received no direct education
for the purpose. She has devoted herself for the last
twelve months to Mrs Lawrie, as though she had been her
mother. You did not like Mrs Lawrie, nor did I; nor,
indeed, did poor Mary love her very dearly. But she, at
any rate, did her duty by her step-mother. I know that in
regard to actual money you will be generous enough; but do
turn the matter over in your