te's face grew paler and
her heart more weary and desponding. That the young man was well was
beyond dispute, since she had seen him with her own eyes at the opera.
What explanation could there be, then, for his conduct? Was it possible
that he had told Mr. Girdlestone of their engagement, and that her
guardian had found some means of dissuading him from continuing his
suit--found some appeal to his interest, perhaps, which was too strong
for his love. All that she knew of Tom's nature contradicted such a
supposition. Again, if Girdlestone had learned anything of their
engagement, surely he would have reproached her with it. His manner of
late had been kinder rather than harsher. On the other hand, could it
have chanced that Tom had met this lady of the opera, and that her
charms had proved too much for his constancy? When she thought of the
honest grey eyes which had looked down into hers at that last meeting in
the garden, she found it hard to imagine the possibility of such things,
and yet there was a fact which had to be explained. The more she
thought of it the more incomprehensible it grew, but still the pale face
grew paler and the sad heart more heavy.

Soon, however, her doubts and fears began to resolve themselves into
something more substantial than vague conjecture. The conversation of
the Girdlestones used to turn upon their business colleague, and always
in the same strain. There were stray remarks about his doings; hints
from the father and laughter from the son. "Not much work to be got out
of him now," the old man would say. "When a man's in love he's not over
fond of a ledger."

"A nice-looking girl, too," said Ezra, in answer to some such remark.
"I thought something would come of it. We saw them together at the
opera, didn't we, Kate?"

So they would gossip together, and every word a stab to the poor girl.
She strove to conceal her feelings, and, indeed, her anger and her pride
were stronger even than her grief, for she felt that she had been
cruelly used. One day she found Girdlestone alone and unbosomed herself
to him.

"Is it really true," she asked, with a quick pant and a catch of her
breath, "that Mr. Dimsdale is engaged to be married?"

"I believe so, my dear," her guardian answered. "It is commonly
reported so. When a young lady and gentleman correspond it is usually a
sign of something of the sort."

"Oh, they correspond?"

"Yes, they certainly correspond. Her lett