h, Hannah, Hannah, you do not understand! you do not!" he cried in a
voice full of anguish.

"Yes, I do; I know how hard it would be to you in either case. On the
one hand, what a cruel wrench it will give your heart to tear yourself
from Nora--"

"Yes, yes; oh, Heaven, yes!"

"And, on the other hand, I know what an awful sacrifice you would make
in marrying her--"

"It is not that! Oh, do me justice! I should not think it a sacrifice!
She is too good for me! Oh, Hannah, it is not that which hinders!"

"It is the thought of your mother and sisters, perhaps; but surely if
they love you, as I am certain they do, and if they see your happiness
depends upon this marriage--in time they will yield!"

"It is not my family either, Hannah! Do you think that I would sacrifice
my peace--or hers--to the unreasonable pride of my family? No, Hannah,
no!"

"Then what is it? What stands in the way of your offering your hand to
her to whom you have given your heart?"

"Hannah, I cannot tell you! Oh, Hannah, I feel that I have been very
wrong, criminal even! But I acted blindly; you have opened my eyes, and
now I see I must visit your house no more; how much it costs me to say
this--to do this--you can never know!"

He wiped the perspiration from his pale brow, and, after a few moments
given to the effort of composing himself, he asked:

"Shall we go on now?"

She nodded assent and they walked onward.

"Hannah," he said, as they went along, "I have one deplorable weakness."

She looked up suddenly, fearing to hear the confession of some fatal
vice.

He continued:

"It is the propensity to please others, whether by doing so I act well
or ill!"

"Mr. Brudenell!" exclaimed Hannah, in a shocked voice.

"Yes, the pain I feel in seeing others suffer, the delight I have in
seeing them enjoy, often leads--leads me to sacrifice not only my own
personal interests, but the principles of truth and justice!"

"Oh, Mr. Brudenell!"

"It is so, Hannah! And one signal instance of such a sacrifice at once
of myself and of the right has loaded my life with endless regret!
However, I am ungenerous to say this; for a gift once given, even if it
is of that which one holds most precious in the world, should be
forgotten or at least not be grudged by the giver! Ah, Hannah--" He
stopped abruptly.

"Mr. Brudenell, you will excuse me for saying that I agree with you in
your reproach of yourself. That trait of which you speak is a weaknes