Itstruckmetotheheartwhenhetoldmethis，forthough
　　itwasmostrationaltothinkIwouldnotdenyhim，yetIknew
　　inmyownconscienceImustdenyhim，andIsawmyruinin
　　mybeingobligedtodoso；butIknewitwasmybusinessto
　　talkotherwisethen，soIinterruptedhiminhisstorythus。
　　’Ay！，’saidI，’doeshethinkIcannotdenyhim？
　　Butheshall
　　findIcandenyhim，forallthat。’
　　’Well，mydear，’sayshe，’butletmegiveyouthewholestory
　　asitwentonbetweenus，andthensaywhatyouwill。’
　　Thenhewentonandtoldmethatherepliedthus:
　　’But，
　　brother，youknowshehasnothing，andyoumayhaveseveral
　　ladieswithgoodfortunes。’
　　’’Tisnomatterforthat，’saidRobin；’Ilovethegirl，andIwill
　　neverpleasemypocketinmarrying，andnotpleasemyfancy。’
　　’Andso，mydear，’addshe，’thereisnoopposinghim。’
　　’Yes，yes，’saysI，’youshallseeIcanopposehim；Ihave
　　learnttosayNo，nowthoughIhadnotlearntitbefore；ifthe
　　bestlordinthelandofferedmemarriagenow，Icouldvery
　　cheerfullysayNotohim。’
　　’Well，but，mydear，’sayshe，’whatcanyousaytohim？
　　You
　　know，asyousaidwhenwetalkedofitbefore，hewellask
　　youmanyquestionsaboutit，andallthehousewillwonder
　　whatthemeaningofitshouldbe。’
　　’Why，’saysI，smiling，’Icanstopalltheirmouthsatoneclap
　　bytellinghim，andthemtoo，thatIammarriedalreadytohis
　　elderbrother。’
　　Hesmiledalittletooattheword，butIcouldseeitstartled
　　him，andhecouldnothidethedisorderitputhiminto。
　　However，hereturned，’Why，thoughthatmaybetrueinsome
　　sense，yetIsupposeyouarebutinjestwhenyoutalkof
　　givingsuchananswerasthat；itmaynotbeconvenienton
　　manyaccounts。’
　　’No，no，’saysIpleasantly，’Iamnotsofondoflettingthe
　　secretcomeoutwithoutyourconsent。’
　　’Butwhat，then，canyousaytohim，ortothem，’sayshe，
　　’whentheyfindyoupositiveagainstamatchwhichwould
　　beapparentlysomuchtoyouradvantage？’
　　’Why，’saysI，’shouldIbeataloss？
　　Firstofall，Iamnot
　　obligedtogivemeanyreasonatall；ontheotherhand，Imay
　　tellthemIammarriedalready，andstopthere，andthatwill
　　beafullstoptootohim，forhecanhavenoreasontoaskone
　　questionafterit。’
　　’Ay，’sayshe；’butthewholehousewillteaseyouaboutthat，
　　eventofatherandmother，andifyoudenythempositively，
　　theywillbedisobligedatyou，andsuspiciousbesides。’
　　’Why，’saysI，’whatcanIdo？
　　Whatwouldhavemedo？
　　I
　　wasinstraightenoughbefore，andasItoldyou，Iwasin
　　perplexitybefore，andacquaintedyouwiththecircumstances，
　　thatImighthaveyouradvice。’
　　’Mydear，’sayshe，’Ihavebeenconsideringverymuchupon
　　it，youmaybesure，andthoughitisapieceofadvicethathas
　　agreatmanymortificationsinittome，andmayatfirstseem
　　strangetoyou，yet，allthingsconsidered，Iseenobetterway
　　foryouthantolethimgoon；andifyoufindhimheartyand
　　inearnest，marryhim。’
　　Igavehimalookfullofhorroratthosewords，and，turning
　　paleasdeath，wasattheverypointofsinkingdownoutofthe
　　chairIsatin；when，givingastart，’Mydear，’sayshealoud，
　　’what’sthematterwithyou？
　　Whereareyoua-going？’anda
　　greatmanysuchthings；andwithjoggingandcalledtome，
　　fetchedmealittletomyself，thoughitwasagoodwhilebefore
　　Ifullyrecoveredmysenses，andwasnotabletospeakfor
　　severalminutesmore。
　　WhenIwasfullyrecoveredhebeganagain。
　　’Mydear，’says
　　he，’whatmadeyousosurprisedatwhatIsaid？
　　Iwouldhave
　　youconsiderseriouslyofit？
　　Youmayseeplainlyhowthe
　　familystandinthiscase，andtheywouldbestarkmadifit
　　wasmycase，asitismybrother’s；andforaughtIsee，it
　　wouldbemyruinandyourstoo。’
　　’Ay！’saysI，stillspeakingangrily；’areallyourprotestations
　　andvowstobeshakenbythedislikeofthefamily？
　　DidInot
　　alwaysobjectthattoyou，andyoumadelightthingofit，as
　　whatyouwereabove，andwouldvalue；andisitcometo
　　thisnow？’saidI。
　　’Isthisyourfaithandhonour，yourlove，
　　andthesolidityofyourpromises？’
　　Hecontinuedperfectlycalm，notwithstandingallmyreproaches，
　　andIwasnotsparingofthematall；butherepliedatlast，
　　’Mydear，Ihavenotbrokenonepromisewithyouyet；Idid
　　tellyouIwouldmarryyouwhenIwascometomyestate；but
　　youseemyfatherisahale，healthyman，andmaylivethese
　　thirtyyearsstill，andnotbeolderthanseveralareroundusin
　　town；andyouneverproposedmymarryingyousooner，
　　becauseyouknewitmightbemyruin；andastoalltherest，I
　　havenotfailedyouinanything，youhavewantedfornothing。’
　　Icouldnotdenyawordofthis，andhadnothingtosaytoit
　　ingeneral。
　　’Butwhy，then，’saysI，’canyoupersuademeto
　　suchahorridstepasleavingyou，sinceyouhavenotleftme？
　　Willyouallownoaffection，noloveonmyside，wherethere
　　hasbeensomuchonyourside？
　　HaveImadeyounoreturns？
　　HaveIgivennotestimonyofmysincerityandofmypassion？
　　ArethesacrificesIhavemadeofhonourandmodestytoyou
　　noproofofmybeingtiedtoyouinbondstoostrongtobe
　　broken？’
　　’Buthere，mydear，’sayshe，’youmaycomeintoasafestation，
　　andappearwithhonourandwithsplendouratonce，andthe
　　remembranceofwhatwehavedonemaybewraptupinan
　　eternalsilence，asifithadneverhappened；youshallalways
　　havemyrespect，andmysincereaffection，onlythenitshall
　　behonest，andperfectlyjusttomybrother；youshallbemy
　　dearsister，asnowyouaremydear——’andtherehestopped。
　　’Yourdearwhore，’saysI，’youwouldhavesaidifyouhad
　　goneon，andyoumightaswellhavesaidit；butIunderstand
　　you。
　　However，Idesireyoutorememberthelongdiscourses
　　youhavehadwithme，andthemanyhours’painsyouhave
　　takentopersuademetobelievemyselfanhonestwoman；
　　thatIwasyourwifeintentionally，thoughnotintheeyesof
　　theworld，andthatitwasaseffectualamarriagethathad
　　passedbetweenusasiswehadbeenpubliclyweddedbythe
　　parsonoftheparish。
　　Youknowandcannotbutremember
　　thatthesehavebeenyourownwordstome。’
　　Ifoundthiswasalittletoocloseuponhim，butImadeitup
　　inwhatfollows。
　　Hestoodstock-stillforawhileandsaid
　　nothing，andIwentonthus:
　　’Youcannot，’saysI，’without
　　thehighestinjustice，believethatIyieldeduponallthese
　　persuasionswithoutalovenottobequestioned，nottobe
　　shakenagainbyanythingthatcouldhappenafterward。
　　Ifyou
　　havesuchdishonourablethoughtsofme，Imustaskyouwhat
　　foundationinanyofmybehaviourhaveIgivenforsucha
　　suggestion？
　　’If，then，Ihaveyieldedtotheimportunitiesofmyaffection，
　　andifIhavebeenpersuadedtobelievethatIamreally，and
　　intheessenceofthething，yourwife，shallInowgivethelie
　　toallthoseargumentsandcallmyselfyourwhore，ormistress，
　　whichisthesamething？
　　Andwillyoutransfermetoyour
　　brother？
　　Canyoutransfermyaffection？
　　Canyoubidme
　　ceaselovingyou，andbidmelovehim？
　　Itisinmypower，
　　thinkyou，tomakesuchachangeatdemand？
　　No，sir，’saidI，
　　’dependuponit’tisimpossible，andwhateverthechangeof
　　yoursidemaybe，Iwilleverbetrue；andIhadmuchrather，
　　sinceitiscomethatunhappylength，beyourwhorethanyour
　　brother’swife。’
　　Heappearedpleasedandtouchedwiththeimpressionofthis
　　lastdiscourse，andtoldmethathestoodwherehedidbefore；
　　thathehadnotbeenunfaithfultomeinanyonepromisehe
　　hadevermadeyet，butthatthereweresomanyterriblethings
　　presentedthemselvestohisviewintheaffairbeforeme，and
　　thatonmyaccountinparticular，thathehadthoughtofthe
　　otherasaremedysoeffectualasnothingcouldcomeuptoit。
　　Thathethoughtthiswouldnotbeentirepartingus，butwe
　　mightloveasfriendsallourdays，andperhapswithmore
　　satisfactionthanweshouldinthestationwewerenowin，
　　asthingsmighthappen；thathedurstsay，Icouldnotapprehend
　　anythingfromhimastobetrayingasecret，whichcouldnot
　　butbethedestructionofusboth，ifitcameout；thathehad
　　butonequestiontoaskofmethatcouldlieinthewayofit，
　　andifthatquestionwasansweredinthenegative，hecould
　　notbutthinkstillitwastheonlystepIcouldtake。
　　Iguessedathisquestionpresently，namely，whetherIwas
　　sureIwasnotwithchild？
　　Astothat，Itoldhimheneednot
　　beconcernedaboutit，forIwasnotwithchild。
　　’Why，then，
　　mydear，’sayshe，’wehavenotimetotalkfurthernow。
　　Considerofit，andthinkcloselyaboutit；Icannotbutbeof
　　theopinionstill，thatitwillbethebestcourseyoucantake。’
　　Andwiththishetookhisleave，andthemorehastilytoo，his
　　motherandsistersringingatthegate，justatthemomentthat
　　hehadrisenuptogo。
　　Heleftmeintheutmostconfusionof
　　thought；andheeasily
　　perceiveditthenextday，andalltherestoftheweek，forit
　　wasbutTuesdayeveningwhenwetalked；buthehadno
　　opportunitytocomeatmeallthatweek，tilltheSundayafter，
　　whenI，beingindisposed，didnotgotochurch，andhe，making
　　someexcuseforthelike，stayedathome。
　　Andnowhehadmeanhourandahalfagainbymyself，and
　　wefellintothesameargumentsalloveragain，oratleastso
　　nearthesame，asitwouldbetonopurposetorepeatthem。
　　AtlastIaskedhimwarmly，whatopinionhemusthaveofmy
　　modesty，thathecouldsupposeIshouldsomuchasentertain
　　athoughtoflyingwithtwobrothers，andassuredhimitcould
　　neverbe。