solution of the difficulty in which they were
placed exactly as thousands of other young ladies have received similar
proposals before her time, and after.

She first said positively No. Cosway persisted. She began to cry, and
asked if he had no respect for her. Cosway declared that his respect was
equal to any sacrifice except the sacrifice of parting with her forever.
He could, and would, if she preferred it, die for her, but while he was
alive he must refuse to give her up. Upon this she shifted her ground.
Did he expect her to go away with him alone? Certainly not. Her maid
could go with her, or, if her maid was not to be trusted, he would apply
to his landlady, and engage "a respectable elderly person" to attend on
her until the day of their marriage. Would she have some mercy on him,
and just consider it? No: she was afraid to consider it. Did she prefer
misery for the rest of her life? Never mind _his_ happiness: it
was _her_ happiness only that he had in his mind. Traveling with
unsympathetic people; absent from England, no one could say for
how long; married, when she did return, to some rich man whom she
hated--would she, could she, contemplate that prospect? She contemplated
it through tears; she contemplated it to an accompaniment of sighs,
kisses, and protestations--she trembled, hesitated, gave way. At an
appointed hour of the coming night, when her father would be in the
smoking-room, and Mrs. Margery would be in bed, Cosway was to knock at
the door in the lane once more; leaving time to make all the necessary
arrangements in the interval.

The one pressing necessity, under these circumstances, was to guard
against the possibility of betrayal and surprise. Cosway discreetly
alluded to the unsolved mysteries of the invitation and the message.
"Have you taken anybody into our confidence?" he asked.

Adela answered with some embarrassment. "Only one person," She
said--"dear Miss Benshaw."

"Who is Miss Benshaw?"

"Don't you really know, Edwin? She is richer even than papa--she has
inherited from her late brother one half-share in the great business in
the City. Miss Benshaw is the lady who disappointed papa by not coming
to the garden-party. You remember, dear, how happy we were when we were
together at Mr. Atherton's? I was very miserable when they took me
away. Miss Benshaw happened to call the next day and she noticed it. 'My
dear,' she said (Miss Benshaw is quite an elderly lady now), 'I am an
old