God."

I now turned to finish my reading, which had been for the moment
interrupted.

"Indeed, my dear Valerie," she concluded her letter, "I have long felt
that although we were certainly justified by the circumstances of your
situation, in taking the steps we did at that time, we have been hardly
pardonable in persisting so long in the maintenance of a falsehood,
which has certainly been the cause of great pain and suffering to both
your parents, the innocent no less than the guilty. I know that your
mother can never forgive me for aiding you in your escape from her
authority; but for my part, I am willing to bear her enmity, rather than
persist in further concealment, so that you need not in any degree
consider me in any steps which you may think it wise or right to take
towards revelation and reconciliation. Indeed I think, Valerie, that if
it can be done with due regard to your own safety and happiness, you
ought to discover yourself to both your parents, and, if possible, even
to visit the most unhappy, because the guiltier of the two, before her
dissolution, which I really believe to be now very near at hand.
Everyone knows so well what you have undergone, that no blame will
attach to you in the least degree. Allow me to add, that should you
return to France, as I hope you will do, I shall never forgive you if
you do not make my house your home."

This postscript, as will readily be believed, gave me more cause for
thought than all the letter beside, and rendered me exceedingly uneasy.
If I had felt ill-satisfied before with my condition and my concealment,
much more was I now discontented with myself, and unhappy. I was almost
resolved to return at all hazards with Auguste; and, indeed, when I
consulted with Adele, she leaned very much towards the same opinion. I
would not, however, do anything rashly, but determined to consult not
only with my brother, but with the Judge, in whose wisdom I had no less
confidence than I had in his friendship and integrity.

Things, however, were destined to occur, which in some degree altered
and hastened all my proceedings, for that very evening when the Gironacs
had retired, on my beginning to consult Auguste, "Listen to me a moment,
before you tell me about your letters from France, or anything about
returning, and I entreat you answer me truly, and let no false modesty,
or little missish delicacy, prevent your doing so. Many a life has been
rendered miserable by su