a and put her out of her misery.
Perhaps there was some feeling of triumph in her mind as she returned
to the desk from which her epistle had been sent to the Duke;--not of
that triumph which would have found its gratification in boasting of
the offer that had been made to her, but arising from a feeling that
she could now show the proud mother of the bold-faced boy that though
she would not pledge herself to any woman as to what she might do or
not do, she was nevertheless capable of resisting such a temptation
as would have been irresistible to many. Of the Duke's offer to her
she would have spoken to no human being, had not this woman shown
that the Duke's purpose was known at least to her, and now, in her
letter, she would write no plain word of that offer. She would not
state, in words intelligible to any one who might read, that the Duke
had offered her his hand and his coronet. But she would write so that
Lady Glencora should understand her. And she would be careful that
there should be no word in the letter to make Lady Glencora think
that she supposed herself to be unfit for the rank offered to her.
She had been very humble in what she had written to the Duke, but
she would not be at all humble in what she was about to write to the
mother of the bold-faced boy. And this was the letter when it was
written:--

MY DEAR LADY GLENCORA,

I venture to send you a line to put you out of your
misery;--for you were very miserable when you were so good
as to come here yesterday. Your dear little boy is safe
from me;--and, what is more to the purpose, so are you and
your husband,--and your uncle, whom, in truth, I love. You
asked me a downright question which I did not then choose
to answer by a downright answer. The downright answer was
not at that time due to you. It has since been given, and
as I like you too well to wish you to be in torment, I
send you a line to say that I shall never be in the way of
you or your boy.

And now, dear Lady Glencora, one word more. Should it
ever again appear to you to be necessary to use your zeal
for the protection of your husband or your child, do not
endeavour to dissuade a woman by trying to make her think
that she, by her alliance, would bring degradation into
any house, or to any man. If there could have been an
argument powerful with me, to make me do that which you
wished to prevent, it was the argument which you