lay in his way. He also knew that there
was a great gulf fixed, as Miss Alice Bluestone had said,--though he
differed from the young lady as to the side of the gulf on which lay
heaven, and on which heaven's opposite. The letter to Lady Anna was
as follows;--

MY DEAREST,

This letter if it reaches you at all will be given to you
by your mother, who will have read it. It is sent to her
open that she may see what I say to you. She sent for me
and I went to her this evening, and she told me that it
was impossible that I should ever be your husband. I was
so bold as to tell her ladyship that there could be no
impossibility. When you are of age you can walk out from
your mother's house and marry me, as can I you; and no one
can hinder us. There is nothing in the law, either of God
or man, that can prevent you from becoming my wife,--if it
be your wish to be so. But your mother also said that it
was not your wish, and she went on to say that were you
not bound to me by ties of gratitude you would willingly
marry your cousin, Lord Lovel. Then I offered to meet you
in the presence of your mother,--and in the presence too
of Lord Lovel,--and to ask you then before all of us to
which of us two your heart was given. And I promised that
if in my presence you would stretch out your right hand to
the Earl neither you nor your mother should be troubled
further by Daniel Thwaite. But her ladyship swore to me,
with an oath, that I should never be allowed to see you
again.

I therefore write to you, and bid you think much of what
I say to you before you answer me. You know well that I
love you. You do not suspect that I am trying to win you
because you are rich. You will remember that I loved you
when no one thought that you would be rich. I do love you
in my heart of hearts. I think of you in my dreams and
fancy then that all the world has become bright to me,
because we are walking together, hand-in-hand, where none
can come between to separate us. But I would not wish you
to be my wife, just because you have promised. If you do
not love me,--above all, if you love this other man,--say
so, and I will have done with it. Your mother says that
you are bound to me by gratitude. I do not wish you to be
my wife unless you are bound to me by love. Tell me then
how it is;--but, as you value my happiness and your own,