lished for others, I feel entitled now to do something for
myself. For you and Charlotte, that part of the business may, if you
like it, be given up; but neither you nor any one shall keep me from
doing what I have determined. If I may look for help and furtherance, I
shall be ready to do everything which can be wished; but if I am to be
left to myself, or if obstacles are to be thrown in my way, some
extremity or other is sure to follow."

The Major thought it his duty to combat Edward's purposes as long as it
was possible; and now he changed the mode of his attack and tried a
diversion. He seemed to give way, and only spoke of the form of what
they would have to do to bring about this separation, and these new
unions; and so mentioned a number of ugly, undesirable matters, which
threw Edward into the worst of tempers.

"I see plainly," he cried at last, "that what we desire can only be
carried by storm, whether it be from our enemies or from our friends. I
keep clearly before my own eyes what I demand, what, one way or another,
I must have; and I will seize it promptly and surely. Connections like
ours, I know very well, cannot be broken up and reconstructed again
without much being thrown down which is standing, and much having to
give way which would be glad enough to continue. We shall come to no
conclusion by thinking about it. All rights are alike to the
understanding, and it is always easy to throw extra weight into the
ascending scale. Do you makeup your mind, my friend, to act, and act
promptly, for me and for yourself. Disentangle and untie the knots, and
tie them up again. Do not be deterred from it by nice respects. We have
already given the world something to say about us. It will talk about us
once more; and when we have ceased to be a nine days' wonder, it will
forget us as it forgets everything else, and allow us to follow our own
way without further concern with us." The Major had nothing further to
say, and was at last obliged to sit silent; while Edward treated the
affair as now conclusively settled, talked through in detail all that
had to be done, and pictured the future in every most cheerful color,
and then he went on again seriously and thoughtfully: "If we think to
leave ourselves to the hope, to the expectation, that all will go right
again of itself, that accident will lead us straight, and take care of
us, it will be a most culpable self-deception. In such a way it would be
impossible for u