ar's end; into which
no money troubles would ever find their way, nor yet
any naughty novels. But such an Eden is not tempting to
me, nor, as I think, to you. I can fancy you stretching
your poor neck over the dyke, longing to fly away that
you might cease to be at rest, but knowing that the
matrimonial dragon was too strong for any such flight. If
ever bird banged his wings to pieces against gilded bars,
you would have banged yours to pieces in that cage.

You say that you have failed to make him understand that
the matter is settled. I need not say that of course it is
settled, and that he must be made to understand it. You
owe it to him now to put him out of all doubt. He is, I
suppose, accessible to the words of a mortal, god though
he be. But I do not fear about this, for, after all, you
have as much firmness about you as most people;--perhaps
as much as he has at bottom, though you may not have so
many occasions to show it.

As to that other matter I can only say that you shall be
obliged, as far as it is in my power to obey you. For
what may come out from me by word of mouth when we are
together, I will not answer with certainty. But my pen is
under better control, and it shall not write the offending
name.

And now I must tell you a little about myself;--or rather,
I am inclined to spin a yarn, and tell you a great deal.
I have got such a lover! But I did describe him before.
Of course it's Mr Cheesacre. If I were to say he hasn't
declared himself, I should hardly give you a fair idea of
my success. And yet he has not declared himself,--and,
which is worse, is very anxious to marry a rival. But it's
a strong point in my favour that my rival wants him to
take me, and that he will assuredly be driven to make me
an offer sooner or later, in obedience to her orders. My
aunt is my rival, and I do not feel the least doubt as to
his having offered to her half a dozen times. But then she
has another lover, Captain Bellfield, and I see that she
prefers him. He is a penniless scamp and looks as though
he drank. He paints his whiskers too, which I don't
like; and, being forty, tries to look like twenty-five.
Otherwise he is agreeable enough, and I rather approve of
my aunt's taste in preferring him.

But my lover has solid attractions, and allures me on by
a description of the fat cattl