that his was dated. He probably would
not believe her date. She hardly ever expected to be really believed
by anybody. But he would have to read what she wrote; and writing on
this pretence, she would avoid the necessity of alluding to his last
letter.

Neither of the notes which she had by her quite suited the
occasion,--so she wrote a third. The former letter in which she
declined his offer was, she thought, very charmingly insolent, and
the allusion to his lordship's scullion would have been successful,
had it been sent on the moment, but now a graver letter was
required,--and the graver letter was as follows:--

Hertford Street, Wednesday, April 3.

--The date, it will be observed, was the day previous to the morning
on which she had received Lord Fawn's last very conclusive note.--

MY LORD,

I have taken a week to answer the letter which your
lordship has done me the honour of writing to me, because
I have thought it best to have time for consideration in
a matter of such importance. In this I have copied your
lordship's official caution.

I think I never read a letter so false, so unmanly, and so
cowardly, as that which you have found yourself capable of
sending to me.

You became engaged to me when, as I admit with shame, I
did not know your character. You have since repudiated me
and vilified my name, simply because, having found that I
had enemies, and being afraid to face them, you wished to
escape from your engagement. It has been cowardice from
the beginning to the end. Your whole conduct to me has
been one long, unprovoked insult, studiously concocted,
because you have feared that there might possibly be
some trouble for you to encounter. Nobody ever heard of
anything so mean, either in novels or in real life.

And now you again offer to marry me,--because you are
again afraid. You think you will be thrashed, I suppose,
if you decline to keep your engagement; and feel that if
you offer to go on with it, my friends cannot beat you.
You need not be afraid. No earthly consideration would
induce me to be your wife. And if any friend of mine
should look at you as though he meant to punish you, you
can show him this letter and make him understand that it
is I who have refused to be your wife, and not you who
have refused to be my husband.

E. EUSTACE.

This epistle Lizzie did send, believing that