d with the latest account of the great scandal, is no other than
the famous Mrs. Conolly. That evil day will come, sooner or later; but I
had rather face it in one of these wonderful hotels than in a
boarding-house, which I might be asked to leave. As to taking a house of
our own, I shrink from any such permanent arrangement. We are noticed a
good deal. Sholto is, of course, handsome and distinguished; and people
take a fancy to me just as they used to long ago. I was once proud of
this; but now it is a burden to me. For instance, there was a Mrs.
Crawford staying here with her husband, a general, who has just built a
house here. She was so determined to know me that I found it hard to
keep her off without offending her. At last she got ill; and then I felt
justified in nursing her. Sholto was very sulky because I did so, and
wanted to know what business it was of mine. I did not trouble myself
about his anger, and Mrs. Crawford was well in two days. In fact, I
think Sholto was right in saying that she had only overeaten herself.
After that I could avoid her no longer, and she was exceedingly kind to
me. She wanted to introduce me to all her New York friends, and begged
me to leave the hotel and go to her new mansion. There was plenty of
room for us, she said. I did not know what to say. I could not repay her
kindness by going to her house under false colors, and letting her
introduce me to her circle; and yet I could make no reasonable excuse.
At last, seeing that she attributed my refusals to pride, I told her
plainly that if her friends were to learn my history by any accident
they might not thank her for the introduction. She was quite confounded;
but she did not abate her kindness in the least, although my reservation
of confidence in only giving her a hint of the truth, checked her
advances. You may think this an insane indiscretion on my part; but if
you knew how often I have longed to stand up before everybody and
proclaim who I am, and so get rid of the incubus of a perpetual
falsehood, you would not be so much surprised. There is one unspeakable
blessing in American law. It is quite easy to obtain a divorce. One can
get free without sacrificing everything except bare existence. I do not
care what anybody may argue to the contrary, our marriage laws are
shameful.

"I shall expect to hear from you very soon. If you desert me, Nelly,
there is no such thing as friendship in the world. I want particularly
to know w