Two or three days ago she
thought so herself. But the world was going so hard with her, that she
was beginning to feel herself capable of throwing propriety and
delicacy to the winds. This man whom she had once accepted, whom she
altogether loved, and who, in spite of all his faults, certainly still
loved her,--of that she was beginning to have no further doubt,--accused
her of dishonesty, and referred her to her rival for a corroboration
of his story. She would appeal to Mrs Hurtle. The woman was odious,
abominable, a nasty intriguing American female. But her lover desired
that she should hear the woman's story; and she would hear the story,--
if the woman would tell it.

So resolving, she wrote as follows to Mrs Hurtle, finding great
difficulty in the composition of a letter which should tell neither
too little nor too much, and determined that she would be restrained
by no mock modesty, by no girlish fear of declaring the truth about
herself. The letter at last was stiff and hard, but it sufficed for
its purpose.

Madam,--

Mr Paul Montague has referred me to you as to certain
circumstances which have taken place between him and you. It is
right that I should tell you that I was a short time since
engaged to marry him, but that I have found myself obliged to
break off that engagement in consequence of what I have been
told as to his acquaintance with you. I make this proposition to
you, not thinking that anything you will say to me can change my
mind, but because he has asked me to do so, and has, at the same
time, accused me of injustice towards him. I do not wish to rest
under an accusation of injustice from one to whom I was once
warmly attached. If you will receive me, I will make it my
business to call any afternoon you may name.

Yours truly,

HENRIETTA CARBURY.

When the letter was written she was not only ashamed of it, but very
much afraid of it also. What if the American woman should put it in a
newspaper! She had heard that everything was put into newspapers in
America. What if this Mrs Hurtle should send back to her some horribly
insolent answer;--or should send such answer to her mother, instead of
herself! And then, again, if the American woman consented to receive
her, would not the American woman, as a matter of course, trample upon
her with rough words? Once or twice she put the letter aside, and
almost determined that it should not be sent;--