ow so many reasons to
dislike--he slowly rode back home.

Many thoughts passed through his mind during that ride, but only one
resolution obtained for itself a fixture there. He must now tell his
wife everything. He would not be so cruel as to let it remain untold
until a bailiff were at the door, ready to walk him off to the county
jail, or until the bed on which they slept was to be sold from under
them. Yes, he would tell her everything,--immediately, before his
resolution could again have faded away. He got off his horse in the
yard, and seeing his wife's maid at the kitchen door, desired her to
beg her mistress to come to him in the book-room. He would not allow
one half-hour to pass towards the waning of his purpose. If it be
ordained that a man shall drown, had he not better drown and have
done with it? Mrs. Robarts came to him in his room, reaching him in
time to touch his arm as he entered it. "Mary says you want me. I
have been gardening, and she caught me just as I came in."

"Yes, Fanny, I do want you. Sit down for a moment." And walking
across the room, he placed his whip in its proper place.

"Oh, Mark, is there anything the matter?"

"Yes, dearest; yes. Sit down, Fanny: I can talk to you better if you
will sit." But she, poor lady, did not wish to sit. He had hinted at
some misfortune, and therefore she felt a longing to stand by him and
cling to him.

"Well, there; I will if I must; but, Mark, do not frighten me. Why is
your face so very wretched?"

"Fanny, I have done very wrong," he said. "I have been very foolish.
I fear that I have brought upon you great sorrow and trouble." And
then he leaned his head upon his hand and turned his face away from
her.

"Oh, Mark, dearest Mark, my own Mark! what is it?" and then she was
quickly up from her chair, and went down on her knees before him. "Do
not turn from me. Tell me, Mark! tell me, that we may share it."

"Yes, Fanny, I must tell you now; but I hardly know what you will
think of me when you have heard it."

"I will think that you are my own husband, Mark; I will think
that--that chiefly, whatever it may be." And then she caressed his
knees, and looked up in his face, and, getting hold of one of his
hands, pressed it between her own. "Even if you have been foolish,
who should forgive you if I cannot?" And then he told it her all,
beginning from that evening when Mr. Sowerby had got him into his
bedroom, and going on gradually, now about the bi