me indefinite time, which probably
must be measured by years. "Let us see at the end of two years," she had
said; and Harry had been forced to be content. But how would it be with
her now?

Harry of course began his letter by telling her of the catastrophe, with
the usual amount of epithets. It was very terrible, awful, shocking--the
saddest thing that had ever happened! The poor widow was in a desperate
state, and all the Claverings were nearly beside themselves. But when
this had been duly said, he allowed himself to go into their own home
question. "I can not fail," he wrote, "to think of this chiefly as it
concerns you--or rather as it concerns myself in reference to you. I
suppose I shall leave the business now. Indeed, my father seems to think
that my remaining there would be absurd, and my mother agrees with him.
As I am the only son, the property will enable me to live easily without
a profession. When I say 'me,' of course you will understand what 'me'
means. The better part of 'me' is so prudent that I know she will not
accept this view of things without ever so much consideration, and
therefore she must come to Clavering to hear it discussed by the elders.
For myself; I can not bear to think that I should take delight in the
results of this dreadful misfortune; but how am I to keep myself from
being made happy by the feeling that we may now be married without
further delay? After all that has passed, nothing will make me happy or
even permanently comfortable till I can call you fairly my own. My
mother has already said that she hopes you will come here in about a
fortnight--that is, as soon as we shall have fallen tolerably into our
places again; but she will write herself before that time. I have
written a line to your brother, addressed to the office, which I suppose
will find him. I have written also to Cecilia. Your brother, no doubt,
will hear the news first through the French newspapers." Then he said a
little, but a very little, as to their future modes of life, just
intimating to her, and no more, that her destiny might probably call
upon her to be the mother of a future baronet.

The news had reached Clavering on a Saturday. On the following Sunday
everyone in the parish had no doubt heard of it, but nothing on the
subject was said in church on that day. The rector remained at home
during the morning, and the whole service was performed by Mr. Saul. But
on the second Sunday Mr. Fielding had come ove