as
decency would permit; but Miss Leslie was not at all cordial in her
manner toward him, and the "dear five hundred friends" kept coming and
going, so that no opportunity offered for the explanation. "I will go
again this evening," said he to himself; and so he did. Emma stood at
the window, beside a stand of magnificent plants, whose blossoms
filled the room with fragrance. The lamps had not been lighted, and
the moonlight fell like a halo of glory around her, as she stood in
sad reverie that cast a pensive shade over her face, usually so
brilliant in its beauty. So absorbed was she, that she did not hear
the door open, and was unconscious of Saville's presence till he was
at her side.

"You received me coldly, fair lady, this morning, so that I came back
to see if you are offended with me," said he, as she turned to receive
him.

"And I, in my turn, ask you the same question, or else why have you
absented yourself so long?"

"I was not offended--ah, no!" said Saville, dropping the tone of
forced gayety in which he had at first spoken, "but can you not
understand why I have thus exiled myself? Did you not know it was that
I feared you might despise me--you from whom more than from any one
else I desired esteem, admiration--_love_." The last word was spoken
in a lower tone, and he looked at her appealingly, as if to ask
forgiveness for having uttered it. For one instant he met the gaze of
Emma's dark blue eyes, and he must have read something there he did
not expect to find, for the expression of his own changed into one so
hopeful and earnest that Emma's sunk beneath its light. And when he
drew Emma into a seat beside him, and in a few rapid words told her
what in fact she knew before, how long and how well he had loved her.
I don't know what she said, for, reader, I came away then.

But I do know that one morning, six months after, some carriages went
from Mr. Leslie's mansion to the church, and came back filled with a
party looking most auspiciously happy, and that some hours after, as
Edward was conducting his Cousin Emma to a traveling carriage, which
stood at the door, he said, "So you and Saville have changed
positions, and _you_ are henceforth to obey. What a tyrant I would be,
were I in his place. Pray does this morning's act cancel former
obligations?"

"The contract is unbroken," said Saville, answering for his bride, and
producing a locket containing _the_ ringlet--"here is the token that
renders th