ught within reach
of his eyes, of a reform so pleasant in all its accompaniments, of
reform amidst all the wealth of Humblethwaite, with Emily Hotspur by
his side, there came these harpies down upon him rendering it all
impossible. Thrice, in speaking of them to himself, he called them
harpies; but it never occurred to him to think by what name Mr.
Walker would have designated him.

But things around him were becoming so serious that he must do
something. It might be that he would fall to the ground, losing
everything. He could not understand about Bullbean. Bullbean had
had his share of the plunder in regard to all that he had seen. The
best part of the evening's entertainment had taken place after Mr.
Bullbean had retired. No doubt, however, Mr. Bullbean might do him a
damage.

He had written to Sir Harry, refusing altogether the offer made to
him. Could he, after writing such a letter, at once go to the lawyer
and accept the offer? And must he admit to himself, finally, that it
was altogether beyond his power to win his cousin's hand? Was there
no hope of that life at Humblethwaite which, when contemplated at a
distance, had seemed to him to be so green and pleasant? And what
would Emily think of him? In the midst of all his other miseries that
also was a misery. He was able, though steeped in worthlessness, so
to make for himself a double identity as to imagine and to personify
a being who should really possess fine and manly aspirations with
regard to a woman, and to look upon himself,--his second self,--as
that being; and to perceive with how withering a contempt such a
being would contemplate such another man as was in truth the real
George Hotspur, whose actual sorrows and troubles had now become so
unendurable.

Who would help him in his distress? The Altringhams were still in
Scotland, and he knew well that, though Lady Altringham was fond of
him, and though Lord Altringham liked him, there was no assistance
to be had there of the kind that he needed. His dearly intimate
distinguished friends in Norfolk, with whom he had been always
"George," would not care if they heard that he had been crucified.
It seemed to him that the world was very hard and very cruel. Who
did care for him? There were two women who cared for him, who really
loved him, who would make almost any sacrifice for him, who would
even forget his sins, or at least forgive them. He was sure of that.
Emily Hotspur loved him, but there were no