this
brought me up here to-night. Your father had promised me a letter to
Lady Augusta at Rome, with reference to a chaplaincy I was looking
for, and he told Belton to inform me that he had written the letter and
sealed it, and left it on the table in the library. We found it there,
as he said, only not sealed; and though that point was not important, it
suggested a discussion between Julia and myself whether I had or had
not the right to read it, being a letter of presentation, and regarding
myself alone. We could not agree as to what ought to be done, and
resolved at last to take the letter over to you, and say, If you feel at
liberty to let me hear what is in this, read it for me: if you have any
scruples on the score of reading, seal it, and the matter is ended at
once. This is the letter."

Augustus took it, and regarded it leisurely for a moment.

"I think I need have no hesitation here," said he. "I break no seal, at
least."

He withdrew the letter carefully from the envelope, and opened it.

"'Dear Sedley,'" read he, and stopped. "Why, this is surely a mistake;
this was not intended for Lady Augusta;" and he turned to the address,
which ran, "The Lady Augusta Bramleigh, Villa Altieri, Rome." "What can
this mean?"

"He has put it in a wrong envelope."

"Exactly so, and probably sealed the other, which led to his remark to
Belton. I suppose it may be read now. 'Dear Sedley--Have no fears about
the registry. First of all, I do not believe any exists of the date
required; and secondly, there will be neither church, nor parson, nor
register here in three months hence.'" Augustus stopped and looked at
L'Estrange. Each face seemed the reflex of the other, and the look of
puzzled horror was the same on both. "I must go on, I can't help it,"
muttered Augustus, and continued: "'I have spoken to the dean, who
agrees with me that Portshandon need not be retained as a parish.
Something, of course, must be done for the curate here. You will
probably be able to obtain one of the smaller livings for him in the
Chancellor's patronage. So much for the registry difficulty, which
indeed was never a difficulty at all till it occurred to your legal
acuteness to make it such.'

"There is more here, but I am unwilling to read on," said Augustus,
whose face was now crimson, "and yet, L'Estrange," added he, "it may be
that I shall want your counsel in this very matter. I'll finish it."
And he read, "'The more I reflect on the p