o not wish to marry; because I am certain that I
could not make him happy."

"All humbug and nonsense," interrupted Mr. Middleton, angrily;
"I only hope that he will soon make up his mind to give up all
thoughts of you, and to marry..."

"Who?" I inquired, with breathless anxiety.

"A girl," answered my uncle, "who has good sense and good
feeling sufficient to appreciate him as he deserves to be
appreciated." As he said these words Mr. Middleton drew from
his pocket a newspaper, and began reading it in that
pertinacious manner which puts a full stop to any further
conversation.

I would have given a great deal to have asked him if he had
alluded to any particular person, or whether he was speaking
in general; but I had not courage either to interrupt him or
to begin upon the subject again. During the first part of our
drive I had made a great many reflections and resolutions;
amongst others, I had come to the determination that I would
give up steadfastly and for ever, all thoughts of Edward as a
husband, and content myself with the measure of kindness and
regard, which, in spite of what had occurred between us he had
not withdrawn from me. I hoped that this decision,
consistently acted up to, would satisfy Henry, and induce him
to treat me with consideration and respect. I had even formed
a plan of prevailing on Mr. and Mrs. Middleton to leave London
almost immediately; and in the idea of devoting myself to
them, and to a life of domestic duties and charitable
exertions, away from the two persons who, on different grounds
and in different ways, I feared most in the world, a prospect,
of tranquillity at least, offered itself to my mind. But
unfortunately for me Mr. Middleton's last remark threw me into
a state of agitation, which overturned in one instant all
these visions of peace and self-denial. I could have made up
my mind to give up Edward, but when it occurred to me that, at
that very moment, he had, perhaps, given me up, and was on the
point of attaching himself to another, the jealous pang that
shot across my heart, proved to me that I would endure any
suffering rather than passively resign my claim on his
affections. This new anxiety superseded, for the time, all my
other griefs and vexations, and the instant I got home I went
to Mrs. Middleton's room, and tried to find out from her (what
I had not ventured to ask my uncle) whether there was any
particular person whom he wished Edward to marry. She ass