Nathanael--believe one who has seen more of life than you--rarely do
those that truly love ever attain the happiness of marrying one another.
One half the world--the best and noblest half--thirst all their lives
for that bliss which you throw away. What, Agatha, crying?"

And she tried to lift up the drooping head, but could not.

"Nay, dear, I was wrong to grieve you so. Please God, you two may meet
again, and marry and be happy, even in this world. Come, Nathanael, you
can say all this much better than I. Tell her you will be quite content,
and wait any number of years. And, as to this parting, it is a right and
noble sacrifice of yours; let her see how nobly you will bear it."

"Ay, Agatha, I will," said the young lover firmly, as he stood before
her, half stooping, half kneeling--though not quite kneeling, even then.
But his whole manner showed the crumbling away of that clear but icy
surface with which nature or habit had enveloped the whole man.

Agatha lifted her head, and looked at him long and earnestly.

"I will," he repeated; "I promise you I will. Only be content--and in
token that you are so, give me your hand."

She gave him both, and then leaned back again on Miss Valery's shoulder.

"Tell him--I will go with him--anywhere--at any time--if it will only
make him happy."

The same night, when Nathanael and Anne Valery had left her, Agatha sat
thinking, almost in a dream, yet without either sorrow or dread--that
all uncertainty was now over--that this day week would be her
wedding-day.

CHAPTER VIII.

"I wish, as I stated yesterday, that Miss Bowen's property should be
settled entirely upon herself. This is the only course which to my
thinking can reconcile a man to the humiliation of receiving a large
fortune with his wife."

"An odd doctrine, truly! Where did you learn it?" laughed Major Harper,
who was pacing the Bedford Square drawing-room with quick, uneasy steps;
while his brother stood very quiet, only looking from time to time at
the closed door. It was the Saturday before the marriage; and Agatha's
trustee had come to execute his last guardianship of her and her
property. There was lying on a corner-table, pored over by a lawyer-like
individual--that formidable instrument, a marriage-settlement.

"Where did I learn it?" returned Mr. Harper, smiling. "Why, where I
learned most of my opinions, and everything that is good in me--with
Uncle Brian. Poor Uncle Brian!" and the smile fad