people) approved of the contemplated marriage. She accepted my presents;
she allowed all the customary preparations for a wedding to proceed to
completion; she had not even mercy en ough, or shame enough, to prevent
me from publicly degrading myself by waiting for her at the altar, in
the presence of a large congregation. The minutes passed--and no bride
appeared. The clergyman, waiting like me, was requested to return to the
vestry. I was invited to follow him. You foresee the end of the story,
of course? She had run away with another man. But can you guess who the
man was? Her groom!"

Emily's face reddened with indignation. "She suffered for it? Oh, Mr.
Morris, surely she suffered for it?"

"Not at all. She had money enough to reward the groom for marrying
her; and she let herself down easily to her husband's level. It was a
suitable marriage in every respect. When I last heard of them, they were
regularly in the habit of getting drunk together. I am afraid I
have disgusted you? We will drop the subject, and resume my precious
autobiography at a later date. One showery day in the autumn of last
year, you young ladies went out with Miss Ladd for a walk. When you were
all trotting back again, under your umbrellas, did you (in particular)
notice an ill-tempered fellow standing in the road, and getting a good
look at you, on the high footpath above him?"

Emily smiled, in spite of herself. "I don't remember it," she said.

"You wore a brown jacket which fitted you as if you had been born in
it--and you had the smartest little straw hat I ever saw on a woman's
head. It was the first time I ever noticed such things. I think I could
paint a portrait of the boots you wore (mud included), from memory
alone. That was the impression you produced on me. After believing,
honestly believing, that love was one of the lost illusions of my
life--after feeling, honestly feeling, that I would as soon look at
the devil as look at a woman--there was the state of mind to which
retribution had reduced me; using for his instrument Miss Emily Brown.
Oh, don't be afraid of what I may say next! In your presence, and out
of your presence, I am man enough to be ashamed of my own folly. I am
resisting your influence over me at this moment, with the strongest of
all resolutions--the resolution of despair. Let's look at the humorous
side of the story again. What do you think I did when the regiment of
young ladies had passed by me?"

Emily dec