ort. His love to Florence had been open, honest and satisfactory, but
he had not considered himself to have achieved a wonderful triumph at
Stratton. And when he found that Lord Ongar's widow still loved
him--that he was still regarded with affection by the woman who had
formerly wounded him--there was too much of pain, almost of tragedy, in
his position, to admit of vanity. He would say to himself that, as far
as he knew his own heart, he thought he loved Julia the best; but,
nevertheless, he thoroughly wished that she had not returned from Italy,
or that he had not seen her when she had so returned.

He had promised to write, and that he would do this very night. He had
failed to make Cecilia Burton understand what he intended to do, having,
indeed, hardly himself resolved; but before he went to bed he would both
resolve and explain to her his resolution. Immediately, therefore, on
his return home he sat down at his desk with the pen in his hand and the
paper before him.

At last the words came. I can hardly say that they were the product of
any fixed resolve made before he commenced the writing. I think that his
mind worked more fully when the pen was in his hands than it had done
during the hour through which he sat listless, doing nothing, struggling
to have a will of his own, but failing. The letter when it was written
was as follows:

BLOOMSBURY SQUARE, May, 186--.

DEAREST MRS. BURTON:--I said that I would write to-morrow, but I am
writing now, immediately on my return home. Whatever else you may
think of me, pray be sure of this, that I am most anxious to make
you know and understand my own position at any rate as well as I do
myself. I tried to explain it to you when I was with you this
evening, but I fear that I failed; and when Mr. Burton came in I
could not say anything further.

I know that I have behaved very badly to your sister--very badly,
even though she should never become aware that I have done so. Not
that that is possible, for if she were to be my wife to-morrow I
should tell her everything. But badly as you must think of me, I
have never for a moment had a premeditated intention to deceive her.
I believe you do know on what terms I had stood with Miss Brabazon
before her marriage, and that when she married, whatever my feelings
might be, there was no self-accusation. And after that you know all
that took place between me and