han for me, that you should do so. I saw by your manner
yesterday, and by Edward Middleton's also, that subjects of
such vital importance as those we have to discuss together
cannot be carried on in common conversation, without conveying
an impression which might be injurious to your reputation; and
you cannot imagine how much this idea has tormented me. Your
peace of mind, your reputation, Ellen, are dearer to me than
life itself; and such love as mine cannot be selfish--"

"Henry, Henry, your very words belie you. I am indeed fallen
low in your eyes, since you, the husband of another, dare to
speak of love to me."

"Not of such love as mine. You do not think, Ellen, you cannot
believe that I am such a wretch as here, in my own house, with
my wife ill in that next room, to speak to you of my love with
any object but that of proving to you, that to the uttermost
of my power I will guard you from the evils which hang over
your head. Be calm, Ellen; be reasonable, I implore you (he
continued, as I wrung my hands, and then clasped them in an
attitude of despair;) Alice did not close her eyes last night.
After undergoing great fatigue, she is now fallen asleep, and
will probably slumber on for some hours. We may never have
another such opportunity of speaking without restraint or
interruption; and nothing can seem more natural than that you
should remain here, and be ready to comfort and amuse her when
she does wake."

"Deceit! deceit! everlasting deceit!" I exclaimed, as I sunk
down on a chair which he had placed for me near the window.
"How my soul loathes it, how I hate and despise myself!"

"But will it not be some comfort to you, Ellen, to open your
heart to me? Have I not been a friend to you? You see how
guarded I am--how careful to choose words that can neither
shock nor offend you. Show me confidence, show me kindness,
and you can obtain from me every effort that a man can make,
every sacrifice which a woman can require from one whose whole
soul is bound up in her, whose existence but one long dream of
her... But this is not what I meant to say," he exclaimed,
abruptly, and getting up, he walked up and down the room, and
passed his hand over his eyes: then sitting down again, he
said, "I had better begin by giving you an account of the
circumstances of my life, which will explain the difficulties
I have been entangled in, the sufferings I have endured,
aggravated by remorse, and by the consciousness that I