-I could not
have been so calm, so tranquil, I may, indeed, say--so stone-cold.
Indeed, judging, moreover, from my own feelings as a woman and a wife,
it would have been impossible: not that I'm of a jealous habit of mind.
No, certainly; I should say, quite the reverse. Still, it is quite
plain, that if we really value and love a thing--we must be anxious
accordingly. _That_ is but natural. Nevertheless, I cannot disguise it
from myself that FRED--even after he had handed me the letter to read,
and I--all in a twitter I must say--had read it to him, did nothing but
laugh. I've no doubt he was very right; and yet, if I know myself and
I'd been in his place--I don't think I should have _laughed._

"Read the letter, LOTTY,"--cried FRED--"by all means read it; it may
amuse us."

"To be sure," said I; "not that it can be for _me_." And then, when I
opened the stupid bit of paper, it seemed to scorch my face and
something came into my throat, as I began to read the ridiculous
words--'_My dear and beautiful girl._'

"Must be a mistake," cried FRED: though I thought I saw him just bite
his lip, and just a little wrinkle his eye brows. "But go on."

"'_I have beheld you in silent admiration; but now I feel longer silence
impossible!_' I shan't read any more," said I, "for how can it concern
me--I mean _us_?"

"Go on," cried FRED, hooking his fore-finger round his nose and rubbing
it in his manner, when he is thinking.

'_It is plain you were intended for a brighter destiny than what has
befallen you._'

"Come," said FRED in his aggravating way, "that's no compliment to me."

"To you! Then, if it comes to that," said I, "and if for a minute you
think this stuff was written to me, you may read the rest yourself." And
with this--with all the spirit I could--I flung the letter _at him_.
Yes; at him; and as he looked up, and a little astonished, but more
hurt, as I thought, opened his eyes at me--I felt myself so wrong, so
rebuked, that I flung my arms about his neck, and the next snatched up
the note to tear it to pieces.

"Stop, LOTTY;" cried FRED; "as it is not our property, we've no right to
destroy it." And then he put the letter in his breast pocket; and, as he
did so, I had a twinge of the heart, a cold chill, for all the world as
though he had put a viper there.

"FRED, dear FRED," said I, and what ailed me I couldn't tell; but all I
recollect was that saying or stammering, "let us go home," I fell upon
his neck;