her first-rate education;
commended again to her care Tom and Biddy; and, declaring that he died
in charity with all men, resigned himself to the last slumber.

Arabella at first sought a refuge with her maiden aunt. But that lady,
though not hit in pocket by her brother-in-law's failure, was more
vehement against his memory than his most injured creditor--not only
that she deemed herself unjustly defrauded of the pines, strawberries,
and spring chickens, by which she had been enabled to give small parties
at small cost, though with ample show, but that she was robbed of the
consequence she had hitherto derived from the supposed expectations of
her niece. In short, her welcome was so hostile, and her condolences
so cutting, that Arabella quitted her door with a solemn determination
never again to enter it.

And now the nobler qualities of the bankrupt's daughter rose at once
into play. Left penniless, she resolved by her own exertions to support
and to rear her young brother and sister. The great school to which she
had been the ornament willingly received her as a teacher, until some
more advantageous place in a private family, and with a salary worthy of
her talents and accomplishments, could be found.

Her intercourse with Jasper became necessarily suspended. She had the
generosity to write, offering to release him from his engagement. Jasper
considered himself fully released without that letter; but he deemed
it neither gallant nor discreet to say so. Arabella might obtain
a situation with larger salary than she could possibly need, the
superfluities whereof Jasper might undertake to invest. Her aunt had
evidently something to leave, though she might have nothing to give.
In fine, Arabella, if not rich enough for a wife, might be often rich
enough for a friend at need; and so long as he was engaged to her for
life, it must be not more her pleasure than her duty to assist him
to live. Besides, independently of these prudential though not ardent
motives for declaring unalterable fidelity to troth, Jasper at that
time really did entertain what he called love for the handsome young
woman--flattered that one of attainments so superior to all the girls
he had ever known should be so proud even less of his affection for
her than her own affection for himself. Thus the engagement
lasted--interviews none--letters frequent. Arabella worked hard, looking
to the future; Jasper worked as little as possible, and was very much