shameful, and it was absolutely necessary for
him that he should in some way change it. He would go out of England,
and would travel,--if only he could so dispose of his wife that she
might be safe from any possible communication with Colonel Osborne.
If that could be effected, nothing that money could do should be
spared for her. If that could not be effected he would remain at
home,--and crush her.

That night before he went to bed he wrote a letter to his wife, which
was as follows;--

DEAR EMILY,

I have learned, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you
have corresponded with Colonel Osborne since you have been
at Nuncombe Putney, and also that you have seen him there.
This has been done in direct opposition to my expressed
wishes, and I feel myself compelled to tell you that such
conduct is disgraceful to you, and disgracing to me. I am
quite at a loss to understand how you can reconcile to
yourself so flagrant a disobedience of my instructions,
and so perverse a disregard to the opinion of the world at
large.

But I do not write now for the sake of finding fault with
you. It is too late for me to have any hope that I can do
so with good effect, either as regards your credit or my
happiness. Nevertheless, it is my duty to protect both you
and myself from further shame; and I wish to tell you what
are my intentions with that view. In the first place, I
warn you that I keep a watch on you. The doing so is very
painful to me, but it is absolutely necessary. You cannot
see Colonel Osborne, or write to him, without my knowing
it. I pledge you my word that in either case,--that is, if
you correspond with him or see him,--I will at once take
our boy away from you. I will not allow him to remain,
even with a mother, who shall so misconduct herself.
Should Colonel Osborne address a letter to you, I desire
that you will put it under an envelope addressed to me.

If you obey my commands on this head I will leave our boy
with you nine months out of every year till he shall be
six years old. Such, at least, is my present idea, though
I will not positively bind myself to adhere to it. And I
will allow you L800 per year for your own maintenance and
that of your sister. I am greatly grieved to find from
my friend Mr. Stanbury that your conduct in reference to
Colonel Osborne has been such as to make it necessary that