ations
as to the feelings of others to stand in her way and become bugbears
to affright her? Who sent her to Melmotte's house? Was it not her own
father? Then she sat herself square at the table, and wrote to her
mother,--as follows,--dating her letter for the following morning:--

Hill Street, 9th July, 187-.

MY DEAR MAMMA,

I am afraid you will be very much astonished by this letter, and
perhaps disappointed. I have engaged myself to Mr Brehgert, a
member of a very wealthy firm in the City, called Todd,
Brehgert, and Goldsheiner. I may as well tell you the worst at
once. Mr Brehgert is a Jew. [This last word she wrote very
rapidly, but largely, determined that there should be no lack of
courage apparent in the letter.] He is a very wealthy man, and
his business is about banking and what he calls finance. I
understand they are among the most leading people in the City.
He lives at present at a very handsome house at Fulham. I don't
know that I ever saw a place more beautifully fitted up. I have
said nothing to papa, nor has he; but he says he will be willing
to satisfy papa perfectly as to settlements. He has offered to
have a house in London if I like,--and also to keep the villa at
Fulham or else to have a place somewhere in the country. Or I
may have the villa at Fulham and a house in the country. No man
can be more generous than he is. He has been married before, and
has a family, and now I think I have told you all.

I suppose you and papa will be very much dissatisfied. I hope
papa won't refuse his consent. It can do no good. I am not going
to remain as I am now all my life, and there is no use waiting
any longer. It was papa who made me go to the Melmottes, who are
not nearly so well placed as Mr Brehgert. Everybody knows that
Madame Melmotte is a Jewess, and nobody knows what Mr Melmotte
is. It is no good going on with the old thing when everything
seems to be upset and at sixes and sevens. If papa has got to be
so poor that he is obliged to let the house in town, one must of
course expect to be different from what we were.

I hope you won't mind having me back the day after to-morrow,--
that is to-morrow, Wednesday. There is a party here to-night,
and Mr Brehgert is coming. But I can't stay longer with Julia,
who doesn't make herself nice, and I do not at all want to go
back to the Melmottes. I fa