hope, or as
if intimations of evil began already to cast their shadows, and to press
upon her soul!

Time flew as in a dream. The sunny days passed on, finding and leaving
me without a trouble or a fear--happy and entranced. Each hour
discovered new charms in my betrothed, and every day unveiled a latent
grace. How had I merited my great good fortune? How could I render
myself worthy of her love? It was not long before the object of my
thoughts, sleeping and waking, became a living idol, and I, a reckless
worshipper.

Doctor Mayhew had been a faithful friend, and such he continued, looking
to the interests of the friendless, which might have suffered in the
absence of so good an advocate. It was he, as I learnt, who had drawn
from the incumbent his reluctant consent to my return. My departure
following my thoughtless declaration so quickly, was not without visible
effect on her who had such deep concern in it. Her trouble was not lost
upon the experienced doctor; he mentioned his suspicion to her father,
and recommended my recall. The latter would not listen to his counsel,
and pronounced his _diagnosis_ hasty and incorrect. The physician bade
him wait. The patient did not rally, and her melancholy increased. The
doctor once more interceded, but not successfully. Mr Fairman received
his counsel with a hasty word, and Dr Mayhew left the parsonage in
anger, telling the minister he would himself be answerable no longer for
her safety. A week elapsed, and Doctor Mayhew found it impossible to
keep away. The old friends met, more attached than ever for the parting
which both had found it difficult to bear. The lady was no better. They
held a conference--it ended in my favour. I had been exactly a month
reinstated, when Doctor Mayhew, who could not rest thoroughly easy until
our marriage was concluded, and, as he said, "the affair was off his
hands," took a convenient opportunity to intimate to Mr Fairman the many
advantages of an early union. The minister was anxious to postpone the
ceremony to a distant period, which he had not courage himself to name.
This Mayhew saw, and was well satisfied that, if my happiness depended
on the word of the incumbent, I should wait long before I heard it
voluntarily given. He told me so, and undertook "to bring the matter to
a head" with all convenient speed. He met with a hundred objections, for
all of which he was prepared. He heard his friend attentively, and with
great deference, and