a proceeding on his part would be beneficial to Alice. Without being
aware of it, he reckoned himself to be the nobler creature of the
two, and now thought of her as of one wounded, and wanting a cure.
Some weakness had fallen on her, and strength must be given to her
from another. He did not in the least doubt her love, but he knew
that she had been associated, for a few weeks past, with two persons
whose daily conversation would be prone to weaken the tone of her
mind. He no more thought of giving her up than a man thinks of having
his leg cut off because he has sprained his sinews. He would go up to
town and see her, and would not even yet abandon all hope that she
might be found sitting at his board when Christmas should come. By
that day's post he wrote a short note to her.

"Dearest Alice," he said, "I have resolved to go to London at once. I
will be with you in the evening at eight, the day after to-morrow.

"Yours, J. G."

There was no more in the letter than that.

"And now," she said, when she received it, "I must dare to tell him
the whole truth."

CHAPTER XI

John Grey Goes to London

And what was the whole truth? Alice Vavasor, when she declared to
herself that she must tell her lover the whole truth, was expressing
to herself her intention of putting an end to her engagement with Mr
Grey. She was acknowledging that that which had to be told was not
compatible with the love and perfect faith which she owed to the man
who was her affianced husband. And yet, why should it be so? She did
not intend to tell him that she had been false in her love to him.
It was not that her heart had again veered itself round and given
itself to that wild cousin of hers. Though she might feel herself
constrained to part from John Grey, George Vavasor could never be her
husband. Of that she assured herself fifty times during the two days'
grace which had been allowed her. Nay, she went farther than that
with herself, and pronounced a verdict against any marriage as
possible to her if she now decided against this marriage which had
for some months past been regarded as fixed by herself and all her
friends.

People often say that marriage is an important thing, and should be
much thought of in advance, and marrying people are cautioned that
there are many who marry in haste and repent at leisure. I am not
sure, however, that marriage may not be pondered over too much; nor
do I feel certain that the leisurely re