am, much more coolly. "I have no
feeling of anger now with you. Did Caroline show you that letter?"

"Miss Waddington did show it to me."

And thus the successful Mr. Harcourt had been successful also in
this. And now, having narrated this interview in a manner which does
not make it redound very much to that gentleman's credit, I must
add to the narrative his apology. If even-handed justice were done
throughout the world, some apology could be found for most offences.
Not that the offences would thus be wiped away, and black become
white; but much that is now very black would be reduced to that
sombre, uninviting shade of ordinary brown which is so customary to
humanity.

Our apology for Mr. Harcourt will by no means make his conduct
white--will leave it, perhaps, of a deeper, dingier brown than that
which is quite ordinary among men; nay, will leave it still black,
many will say.

Mr. Harcourt had seen that which in his opinion proved that Bertram
and Miss Waddington could never be happy with each other. He had seen
that which in his opinion led to the conclusion that neither of them
really wished that this marriage should take place. But he had seen
that also which made him believe that both were too proud to ask for
a release. Under such circumstances, would he be doing ill if he were
to release them? Caroline had so spoken, spoken even to him, that
it seemed impossible to him that she could wish for the marriage.
Bertram had so written that it seemed equally impossible that he
should wish for it. Would it not, therefore, be madness to allow
them to marry? He had said as much to Miss Baker, and Miss Baker had
agreed with him. "He cannot love her," Miss Baker had said, "or he
would not neglect her so shamefully. I am sure he does not love her."

But there was a man who did love her, who had felt that he could love
her from the first moment that he had seen her as an affianced bride:
he had not then courted her for himself; for then it was manifest
that she both loved and was loved. But now, now that this was
altered, was there good cause why he should not covet her now? Mr.
Harcourt thought that there was no sufficient cause.

And then this man, who was not by nature a vain man, who had not made
himself apt at believing that young beauties fell readily in love
with him, who had not spent his years in basking in ladies' smiles,
imagined that he had some ground to think that Miss Waddington was
not averse to hi