ame compass me about on
every side. I can never look Edward, you, or the world in the
face again, |till you release me from the fatal oath which you
extorted from me in an hour of weakness and of despair."

"It is from your own weakness, from your rash and foolish
despair, that in spite of yourself I will guard you."

"Oh, Heaven, deliver me from such guardianship as yours! God
save me from your counsels, and rescue me from your power!"

"Go, then, go, and tell your husband that you killed your
cousin by mistake. Tell him that you were on the point of
marrying me by mistake; that you married him by mistake; and
have deceived him and me, and every one you have had to do
with, all by mistake. Go and break the most solemn engagement,
which you called upon God to witness; heap fresh guilt and
fresh remorse on your head; but, if Edward should not give
credit to your story, and should hint at separation, remember
that there is a man in the world who loves you in spite of all
your scorn and your violence, and who would kneel at your feet
if the rest of the world contemned and deserted you."

"Another word of this kind, Henry, and I never speak to you
again."

"You forget yourself, Ellen. Poor weak woman, what could you
do without me? Look at this letter, which in your difficulties
you once wrote to me, when you dared not marry Edward without
my consent. It never leaves me; there, in my bosom, I keep it
as a charm to recall softer thoughts and better feelings when
an evil spirit takes possession of me, and urges me to drive
you to desperation. Have mercy on yourself, and on me, Ellen.
Your present position is far more awful than it then was; but
if you will be patient and trust in me, all may yet be well. I
will find this Harding out, and take some means to stop his
mouth. Think of all you would forego, if in one rash moment I
suffered you to disclose the truth to Edward. I solemnly swear
to you, that I speak the truth, when I assert that from what I
know of him and of his character, and something of his past
history too, I am certain that he would part from you if these
circumstances were to come to his knowledge. And do you know,
Ellen, what I save you from? No, you do not know what it is to
part. You do not know what it is to give up love, and hope,
and joy; never to see the face which to see is in itself
happiness; not to hear the voice which to hear is to be blest;
and to feel that there is life before us, life to