considering his part in the story, I
regard it as the author's function to elevate such a characteristic, and
soften it into something more expressive of the ardour and flush of
youth, and its romance. It seems to me, too, that the dialogues between
the lady and the Italian maid are conventional but not natural. This
observation I regard as particularly applying to the maid, and to the
scene preceding the murder. Supposing the main objection surmountable, I
would venture then to suggest to you the means of improvement in this
respect.

The paper is so full of good touches of character, passion, and natural
emotion, that I very much wish for a little time to reconsider it, and
to try whether condensation here and there would enable us to get it say
into four parts. I am not sanguine of this, for I observed the
difficulties as I read it the night before last; but I am very
unwilling, I assure you, to decline what has so much merit.

I am going to Paris on Sunday morning for ten days or so. I purpose
being back again within a fortnight. If you will let me think of this
matter in the meanwhile, I shall at least have done all I can to satisfy
my own appreciation of your work.

But if, in the meantime, you should desire to have it back with any
prospect of publishing it through other means, a letter--the shortest in
the world--from you to Mr. Wills at the "Household Words" office will
immediately produce it. I repeat with perfect sincerity that I am much
impressed by its merits, and that if I had read it as the production of
an entire stranger, I think it would have made exactly this effect upon
me.

My dear Miss King,
Very faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: The same.]

TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _24th February, 1855._

MY DEAR MISS KING,

I have gone carefully over your story again, and quite agree with you
that the episode of the clergyman could be told in a very few lines.
Startling as I know it will appear to you, I am bound to say that I
think the purpose of the whole tale would be immensely strengthened by
great compression. I doubt if it could not be told more forcibly in half
the space.

It is certainly too long for "Household Words," and I fear my idea of it
is too short for you. I am, if possible, more unwilling than I was at
first to decline it; but the more I have considered it, the longer it
has se