and but women who have been
driven to do the same, was it written. Could she have allowed herself to
express her thoughts with passion, it would have been comparatively
easy; but it behooved her to be calm, to be very quiet in her
words--almost reticent even in the language which she chose, and to
abandon her claim not only without a reproach, but almost without an
allusion to her love. While Cecilia was away, the letter was written,
and re-written and copied; but Mrs. Burton was safe in this, that her
sister-in-law had promised that the letter should not be sent till she
had seen it.

Mrs. Burton, when she knocked at Lady Ongar's door, had a little note
ready for the servant between her fingers. Her compliments to Lady
Ongar, and would Lady Ongar oblige her by an interview. The note
contained simply that, and nothing more; and when the servant took it
from her, she declared her intention of waiting in the hall till she had
received an answer. But she was shown into the dining-room, and there
she remained for a quarter of an hour, during which time she was by no
means comfortable. Probably Lady Ongar might refuse to receive her; but
should that not be the case--should she succeed in making her way into
that lady's presence, how should she find the eloquence wherewith to
plead her cause? At the end of the fifteen minutes, Lady Ongar herself
opened the door and entered the room. "Mrs. Burton," she said, smiling,
"I am really ashamed to have kept you so long; but open confession, they
say, is good for the soul, and the truth is that I was not dressed."
Then she led the way up stairs, and placed Mrs. Burton on a sofa, and
placed herself in her own chair--from whence she could see well, but in
which she could not be well seen--and stretched out the folds of her
morning-dress gracefully, and made her visitor thoroughly understand
that she was at home and at her ease.

We may, I think, surmise that Lady Ongar's open confession would do her
soul but little good, as it lacked truth, which is the first requisite
for all confessions. Lady Ongar had been sufficiently dressed to receive
any visitor, but had felt that some special preparation was necessary
for the reception of the one who had now come to her. She knew well who
was Mrs. Burton, and surmised accurately the purpose for which Mrs.
Burton had come. Upon the manner in which she now carried herself might
hang the decision of the question which was so important to her--whet