hanged. I am determined it shall. For,
Mr. Carlisle, there is a Ruler whose government extends over this life
and that, whose requisitions I have never met, whose commands I have
never obeyed, whom consequently I fear; and until this fear is changed
for another feeling I cannot be happy. I will not live the life I have
been leading; careless and thoughtless; I will be the servant of this
Ruler whom hitherto I have disregarded. Whatever his commands are,
those I will follow; at all costs, at any sacrifice; whatever I have or
possess shall be used for his service. One thing I desire; to be a true
servant of God, and not fear his face in displeasure. To secure that, I
will let everything else in the world go.

"I wish you to understand this thoroughly. It will draw on consequences
that you would not like. It will make me such a woman as you would not,
I feel, wish your wife to be. I shall follow a course of life and
action that in many things, I know, would be extremely distasteful to
you. Yet I must follow them--I can do no other--I dare do no other. I
cannot live as I have lived. No, not for any reward or consideration
that could be offered me. Nor to avoid any human anger.

"I think you would probably choose never to see me at the Priory,
rather than to see me there such a woman as I shall be. In that case I
shall be very sorry for all the disagreeable consequences which would
to you attend the annulling of the contract formed between us. My own
part of them I am ready to bear.

"ELEANOR POWLE."

The letter was read through almost under Eleanor's own eyes. She looked
furtively, as she could, to see how Mr. Carlisle took it. He did not
seem to take it at all; she could find no change in his face. If the
brow slightly bent before her did slightly knit itself in sterner lines
than common, she could not be sure of it, bent as it was; and when he
looked up, there was no such expression there. He looked as pleasant as
possible.

"Do you want me to laugh at you?" he said.

"That was not the precise object I had in writing," said Eleanor
soberly.

"I do not suppose it, and yet I feel very much like laughing at you a
little. So you think you can make yourself a woman I would not
like,--eh, my darling?"

He had drawn Eleanor's head down to his shoulder, within easy reach of
his lips, but he did not kiss her. His right hand smoothed back the
masses of her beautiful hair, and then rested on her cheek while he
looked in