n its splendour: William had not been near her, and
it shone upon none so miserable as Agnes.

She now considered his word, "never to see her more," as solemnly passed:
she heard anew the impressive, the implacable tone in which the sentence
was pronounced; and could look back on no late token of affection on
which to found the slightest hope that he would recall it.

Still, reluctant to despair--in the extremity of grief, in the extremity
of fear for an approaching crisis which must speedily arrive, she (after
a few days had elapsed) trusted a neighbouring peasant with a letter to
deliver to Mr. Norwynne in private.

This letter, unlike the last, was dictated without the hope to please: no
pains were taken with the style, no care in the formation of the letters:
the words flowed from necessity; strong necessity guided her hand.

"SIR,--I beg your pardon--pray don't forsake me all at once--see me
one time more--I have something to tell you--it is what I dare tell
nobody else--and what I am ashamed to tell you--yet pray give me a
word of advice--what to do I don't know--I then will part, if you
please, never to trouble you, never any more--but hope to part
friends--pray do, if you please--and see me one time more.

"Your obedient,
"A. P."

These incorrect, inelegant lines produced this immediate reply

"TO AGNES PRIMROSE.

"I have often told you, that my honour is as dear to me as my life: my
word is a part of that honour--you heard me say _I would never see you
again_. I shall keep my word."

CHAPTER XXV.

When the dean's family had been at Anfield about a month--one misty
morning, such as portends a sultry day, as Henry was walking swiftly
through a thick wood, on the skirts of the parish, he suddenly started on
hearing a distant groan, expressive, as he thought, both of bodily and
mental pain. He stopped to hear it repeated, that he might pursue the
sound. He heard it again; and though now but in murmurs, yet, as the
tone implied excessive grief, he directed his course to that part of the
wood from which it came.

As he advanced, in spite of the thick fog, he discerned the appearance of
a female stealing away on his approach. His eye was fixed on this
object; and regardless where he placed his feet, he soon shrunk back with
horror, on perceiving they had nearly trod upon a new-born infant, lying
on the ground!--a lovely male child, entered on a world where n