and
contented.

She had written her letter with great care. When the offer was made
to her, she could not bring herself to throw Lady Amelia to the winds
and marry the man, as it were, out of her own head. Lady Amelia had
been the tyrant of her life, and so she strove hard to obtain her
tyrant's permission. She used all her little cunning in showing
that, after all, Mr Gazebee was not so very plebeian. All her little
cunning was utterly worthless. Lady Amelia's mind was too strong to
be caught with such chaff. Augusta could not serve God and Mammon.
She must either be true to the god of her cousin's idolatry, and
remain single, or serve the Mammon of her own inclinations, and marry
Mr Gazebee.

When refolding her cousin's letter, after the first perusal, she did
for a moment think of rebellion. Could she not be happy at the nice
place in Surrey, having, as she would have, a carriage, even though
all the de Courcys should drop her? It had been put to her that
she would not like to be received at Courcy Castle with the scant
civility which would be considered due to a Mrs Mortimer Gazebee; but
what if she could put up without being received at Courcy Castle at
all? Such ideas did float through her mind, dimly.

But her courage failed her. It is so hard to throw off a tyrant; so
much easier to yield, when we have been in the habit of yielding.
This third letter, therefore, was written; and it is the end of the
correspondence.

Miss Augusta Gresham to Lady Amelia de Courcy

Greshamsbury House, July, 185--.

MY DEAREST AMELIA,

I did not answer your letter before, because I thought it
better to delay doing so till Mr Gazebee had been here.
He came the day before yesterday, and yesterday I did,
as nearly as possible, what you advised. Perhaps, on
the whole, it will be better. As you say, rank has its
responsibilities as well as its privileges.

I don't quite understand what you mean about clergymen,
but we can talk that over when we meet. Indeed, it seems
to me that if one is to be particular about family--and
I am sure I think we ought--one ought to be so without
exception. If Mr Oriel be a _parvenu_, Beatrice's
children won't be well born merely because their father
was a clergyman, even though he is a rector. Since
my former letter, I have heard that Mr Gazebee's
great-great-great-grandfather established the firm; and
there are many people who were n