his
hunting at Willingford. But his letter was very stiff and ungainly,
and it may be doubted whether Miss Effingham was not wrong in
refusing the offer which he had made to her as to the dictation of
it. He began his letter, "My Lord," and did not much improve the
style as he went on with it. The reader may as well see the whole
letter;--

Railway Hotel, Carlisle,
December 27, 186--.

MY LORD,

I am now on my way from Loughlinter to London, and write
this letter to you in compliance with a promise made by
me to my sister and to Miss Effingham. I have asked Violet
to be my wife, and she has accepted me, and they think
that you will be pleased to hear that this has been done.
I shall be, of course, obliged, if you will instruct Mr.
Edwards to let me know what you would propose to do in
regard to settlements. Laura thinks that you will wish to
see both Violet and myself at Saulsby. For myself, I can
only say that, should you desire me to come, I will do
so on receiving your assurance that I shall be treated
neither with fatted calves nor with reproaches. I am not
aware that I have deserved either.

I am, my lord, yours affect.,

CHILTERN.

P.S.--My address will be "The Bull, Willingford."

That last word, in which he half-declared himself to be joined in
affectionate relations to his father, caused him a world of trouble.
But he could find no term for expressing, without a circumlocution
which was disagreeable to him, exactly that position of feeling
towards his father which really belonged to him. He would have
written "yours with affection," or "yours with deadly enmity," or
"yours with respect," or "yours with most profound indifference,"
exactly in accordance with the state of his father's mind, if he had
only known what was that state. He was afraid of going beyond his
father in any offer of reconciliation, and was firmly fixed in his
resolution that he would never be either repentant or submissive
in regard to the past. If his father had wishes for the future,
he would comply with them if he could do so without unreasonable
inconvenience, but he would not give way a single point as to things
done and gone. If his father should choose to make any reference to
them, his father must prepare for battle.

The Earl was of course disgusted by the pertinacious obstinacy of his
son's letter, and for an hour or two swore to himself that he would
not