nmarried girl in society, is his humblest slave. His Majesty's opinions
upon this subject did not suit me, I can assure you: I have no notion of
such pride!

"'But I do not disguise from you, dear Laura, that after accepting
him, as I came to know him better, and heard him, and heard of him,
and talked with him daily, and understood Lord Farintosh's character, I
looked forward with more and more doubt to the day when I was to become
his wife. I have not learned to respect him in these months that I have
known him, and during which there has been mourning in our families. I
will not talk to you about him; I have no right, have I?--to hear him
speak out his heart, and tell it to any friend. He said he liked me
because I did not flatter him. Poor Malcolm! they all do. What was my
acceptance of him, Laura, but flattery? Yes, flattery, and servility to
rank, and a desire to possess it. Would I have accepted plain Malcolm
Roy? I sent away a better than him, Laura.

"'These things have been brooding in my mind for some months past. I
must have been but an ill companion for him, and indeed he bore with my
waywardness much more kindly than I ever thought possible; and when four
days since we came to this sad house, where he was to have joined
us, and I found only dismay and wretchedness, and these poor children
deprived of a mother, whom I pity, God help her, for she has been made
so miserable--and is now and must be to the end of her days; as I lay
awake, thinking of my own future life, and that I was going to marry, as
poor Clara had married, but for an establishment and a position in life;
I, my own mistress, and not obedient by nature, or a slave to others as
that poor creature was--I thought to myself, why shall I do this?
Now Clara has left us, and is, as it were, dead to us who made her so
unhappy, let me be the mother to her orphans. I love the little girl,
and she has always loved me, and came crying to me that day when we
arrived, and put her dear little arms round my neck, and said, 'You
won't go away, will you, Aunt Ethel?' in her sweet voice. And I will
stay with her; and will try and learn myself that I may teach her; and
learn to be good too--better than I have been. Will praying help me,
Laura? I did. I am sure I was right, and that it is my duty to stay
here.'"

Laura was greatly moved as she told her friend's confession; and when
the next day at church the clergyman read the opening words of the
service I th