of importance to the look of the thing and let me tell you my dear that to write a good note should be one of a woman s chief accomplishments but what am i to do sighed let it go for this time unexpectedly rejoined her mother who having had the satisfaction of pointing out the defects felt as many other people would that they were not worth further trouble remember what i said for another occasion my love and now ring for tea i am to send this dear me yes there is no help for it such into were not uncommon to the speaker it must go i suppose what are you doing now directing the envelope mamma is that still to be done then could you not just take out a fresh sheet and but no i am so tired i really cannot go over it all again no i the history of an evening cannot look at the direction my head too much take it down stairs yourself like a good child and don t let me have in and out of the room more than can be helped the door was scarcely heard to close behind the departing messenger it slid so softly into its but once outside it was the flight of a terrified bird that brought to the bottom of the great staircase across the hall along the passages till she found her object she guessed would not be far to seek and sure enough though her light footsteps left no sound he caught the rustle of her dress and emerged from a doorway ere she had considered by what means to summon him the letter was now taken from s hands and scarce a minute elapsed ere her listening ear caught the sound of a horse s hoofs pass beneath the window where she stood on the watch and she saw the groom despatched by lady trot quickly out of sight a sigh of ecstasy burst from her lips a wonderful well nigh impossible thing had come to pass an event which she could not have stirred hand or foot to bring about had been brought about for her a mystery she could not had been accomplished a miracle had been wrought all this and nothing less it seemed to this simple maiden because the most ordinary common thing in the world had happened what more natural than that her brother having failed she should be summoned by her aunt to supply his deficiency what more likely than that she should be permitted to do so what need of this fear this this emotion on so a subject and why should care to go at all the night was dark and wild � the circle at lady s would in all probability prove formal and � formidable moreover to one so shy and unused to society it would have been much more easily understood much more in accordance with the young s character if she had shrunk from and the ordeal it would � and yet it had seemed as if her very heart would break if she had had to send a refusal underneath that passive exterior veins were throbbing and swelling that gentle acquiescence hid a passion of entreaty she had so envied the elder ones who had been preferred before her had so patiently borne her and so proudly hidden her desire that the present reaction was almost too much to none had a whisper of her secret been confided and how childish would one and all have deemed her knowing nothing � how much how infinitely worse than childish � a fool a � had the truth come out that was to be there � the handsome haughty stiff the pride and object and worry of his mother s the incomprehensible cousin � what should that have been to any of the fair they had been deeply annoyed � at least the history of an evening and had for the youngest sister knew nothing of such matters � because a ridiculous rumour had got abroad and been from one to the other founded on the mere fact of s hav ing been seen galloping across the floating sands which lay between and the castle whereas he ought to have gone round to his uncle s door by the road at the head of the bay suppose he had chosen the path � suppose he were a rider who risked his neck without much thought of its value � was that to say that he would not as readily have done the same had the dangerous route led him to any other goal he had brought a fragment of pink sea weed from the in the heart of the bay and had taken it with a burst of tears this had been unfortunate foolish she had been spoken to and told how absurd she was and kept away from from that time she had also been to avoid her cousin to speak coldly to him withdraw herself from his company when accident brought him to the castle and in all respects show that what had so happened was merely the effect of the shock consequent on finding that any one � any one � had been so thoughtless and had had so narrow an escape all this had done and no further blame had in consequence attached itself to her but now was going away and going as she felt under an impression so false that if he left at this time according to his present ma intentions all was over that ever might have been between them once she had felt nearly sure she was beloved but of late coldness had coldness and reserve formality � so that the at length had become complete and one at least had well nigh of anything ever happening to break it down but might not have this one chance more might 