bson's house, and had held a long
conference with him. She could learn nothing of what took place
there, for at that moment she had taken upon herself to place herself
on non-speaking terms with her mother in consequence of those
disgraceful orders which had been given to the tradesmen. But Bella
had not been at Mr. Gibson's house at the time, and Camilla, though
she presumed that her own conduct had been discussed in a manner very
injurious to herself, did not believe that any step was being then
arranged which would be positively antagonistic to her own views. The
day fixed was now so very near, that there could, she felt, be no
escape for the victim. But she was wrong.

Mr. Gibson had been found by Mrs. French in a very excited state on
that occasion. He had wept, and pulled his hair, and torn open his
waistcoat, had spoken of himself as a wretch,--pleading, however,
at the same time, that he was more sinned against than sinning, had
paced about the room with his hands dashing against his brows, and
at last had flung himself prostrate on the ground. The meaning of it
all was, that he had tried very hard, and had found at last that "he
couldn't do it." "I am ready to submit," said he, "to any verdict
that you may pronounce against me, but I should deceive you and
deceive her if I didn't say at once that I can't do it." He went on
to explain that since he had unfortunately entered into his present
engagement with Camilla,--of whose position he spoke in quite a
touching manner,--and since he had found what was the condition of
his own heart and feelings he had consulted a friend,--who, if any
merely human being was capable of advising, might be implicitly
trusted for advice in such a matter,--and that his friend had told
him that he was bound to give up the marriage let the consequences
to himself or to others be what they might. "Although the skies
should fall on me, I cannot stand at the hymeneal altar with a lie
in my mouth," said Mr. Gibson immediately upon his rising from his
prostrate condition on the floor. In such a position as this a
mother's fury would surely be very great! But Mrs. French was hardly
furious. She cried, and begged him to think better of it, and assured
him that Camilla, when she should be calmed down by matrimony, would
not be so bad as she seemed;--but she was not furious. "The truth
is, Mr. Gibson," she said through her tears, "that, after all, you
like Bella best." Mr. Gibson owned that he