ot die disgraced," he said.

It was a most solemn answer, and told the thoughts which had been
dwelling in his mind. His son had gone from him; and now it might
be that his daughter must go too, because she could not survive
the disappointment of her young love. He had learned to think that
it might be so as he looked at her great grave eyes, and her pale
cheeks, and her sorrow-laden mouth. It might be so; but better that
for them all than that she should be contaminated by the touch of
a thing so vile as this cousin. She was pure as snow, clear as a
star, lovely as the opening rosebud. As she was, let her go to her
grave,--if it need be so. For himself, he could die too,--or even
live if it were required of him! Other fathers, since Jephtha and
Agamemnon, have recognised it as true that heaven has demanded from
them their daughters.

The letter came, and was read and re-read by Sir Harry before he
showed it to his child. He took it also to his wife, and explained it
to her in all its points. "It has more craft," said he, "than I gave
him credit for."

"I don't suppose he ever cared for her," said Lady Elizabeth.

"Nor for any human being that ever lived,--save himself. I wonder
whether he got Boltby to write it for him."

"Surely Mr. Boltby wouldn't have done that."

"I don't know. I think he would do anything to rid us from what he
believed to have been our danger. I don't think it was in George
Hotspur to write such a letter out of his own head."

"But does it signify?"

"Not in the least. It is his own handwriting and his signature.
Whoever formed the words, it is the same thing. It was needed only to
prove to her that he had not even the merit of being true to her."

For a while Sir Harry thought that he would entrust to his wife the
duty of showing the letter to Emily. He would so willingly have
escaped the task himself! But as he considered the matter he feared
that Lady Elizabeth might lack the firmness to explain the matter
fully to the poor girl. The daughter would be so much stronger
than the mother, and thus the thing that must be done would not be
effected! At last, on the evening of the day on which the letter
had reached him, he sent for her, and read it to her. She heard it
without a word. Then he put it into her hands, and she read the
sentences herself, slowly, one after another, endeavouring as she did
so to find arguments by which she might stave off the conclusion to
which she knew that