her pocket, and began to
read it. Apparently the document had been perused by her before, for she
passed hastily over the first page, scarcely skimming the lines with
her eye. It was as if to give increased opportunity for judgment on the
contents that she muttered the words as she read them. They ran thus:--

"A month or six weeks back our proposal might have been accepted, so at
least Collier thinks; but he is now in funds, has money in abundance,
and _you_ know _what_ he is at such moments. When Collier went to him at
his lodgings in King Street, he found him in high spirits, boasting that
he occupied the old quarters of the French Emperor,--that he had even
succeeded to his arm-chair and his writing-table. 'A splendid augury,
Tom,' said he, laughing. 'Who knows but I, too, shall be "restored" one
of these days?' After some bantering he stopped suddenly, and said, '
By the way, what the devil brings you here? Is n't it something about
Loo? They say you want to marry her yourself, Collier,--is that true?'
Not heeding C.'s denial, given in all solemnity, he went on to show that
you could be no possible use to Collier,--that he himself could utilize
your abilities, and give your talents a fitting sphere; whereas In
Collier's set you would be utterly lost C. said it was as good as a play
to hear his talk of all the fine things you might have done, and might
yet do, in concert. 'Then there's Clara, too,' cried he, again; 'she
'll make the greatest hit of our day. She can come out for a season at
the Haymarket, and she can marry whoever she likes.' Once in this vein,
it was very hard to bring him back to anything like a bargain. Indeed,
Collier says he would n't hear of any but immense terms,--ridiculed
the notion of your wanting to be free, for mere freedom's sake, and
jocularly said, 'Tell me frankly, whom does _she_ want to marry? or who
wants to marry _her!_ I 'm not an unreasonable fellow if I 'm treated on
"the square."' Collier assured him that you only desired liberty, that
you might take your own road in life. 'Then let her take it, by all
means,' cried he. 'I am not molesting her,--never have molested her,
even when she went so far as to call herself by another name; she need
n't cry out before she's hurt;' and so on. C. at last brought him
to distinct terms, and he said, 'She shall cut the painter for five
thousand; she's worth to me every guinea of it, and I'll not take less.'
Of course, Collier said these were