just now. I should prefer
it otherwise, but _si on n'a pas ce qu'on aime il faut aimer ce
qu'on a_. I have no incident to relate; these parts get on
without incidents somehow, and without society. I wish there were
some, particularly ladies' society. I break the tenth commandment
constantly, thinking of Commemoration, and that you are within a
ride of Miss Winter and her cousin. When you see them next, pray
present my respectful compliments. It is a sort of consolation to
think that one may cross their fancy for a moment and be
remembered as part of a picture which gives them pleasure. With
such piece of sentiment I may as well shut up. Don't you forget
my message now, and--

"Believe me, ever yours most truly,

"JOHN HARDY.

"P.S.--I mean to speak to Blake, when I get a chance, of that
wretched debt which you have paid, unless you object. I should
think better of him if he seemed more uncomfortable about his
affairs. After all he may be more so than I think, for he is very
reserved on such subjects."

"ENGLEBOURN RECTORY,
"July, 184-'

"DEAREST MARY.--I send the coachman with this note in order that
you may not be anxious about me. I have just returned from poor
Betty Winburn's cottage to write it. She is very very ill, and I
do not think can last out more than a day or two; and she seems
to cling to me so that I cannot have the heart to leave her.
Indeed, if I could make up my mind to do it, I should never get
her poor white eager face out of my head all day, so that I
should be very bad company, and quite out of place at your party,
making everybody melancholy and uncomfortable who came near me.
So, dear, I am not coming. Of course it is a great
disappointment. I had set my heart on being with you, and
enjoying it all thoroughly; and even at breakfast this morning
knew of nothing to hinder me. My dress is actually lying on the
bed at this minute, and it looks very pretty, especially the
jacket like yours, which I and Hopkins have managed to make up
from the pattern you sent, though you forgot the sleeves, which
made it rather hard to do. Ah, well; it is no use to think of how
pleasant things would have been which one cannot have. You must
write me an account of how it all went off, dear; or perhaps you
can manage to get over here before long to tell me.

"I must now go back to poor Betty. She is such a faithful,
patient old thing, and has been such a good woman all her life
that there is nothing pain