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relieved from all the cares that are pressing on you now。〃
〃Don't speak of it； Eustace！ If you want me to forget my cares；
say you love me more dearly than ever。〃
He said it in a kiss。 We had a moment of exquisite forgetfulness
of the hard ways of lifea moment of delicious absorption in
each other。 I came back to realities fortified and composed；
rewarded for all that I had gone through； ready to go through it
all over again for another kiss。 Only give a woman love； and
there is nothing she will not venture； suffer； and do。
〃No； they have done with objecting。 They have remembered at last
that I am of age； and that I can choose for myself。 They have
been pleading with me； Eustace； to give you up。 My aunt； whom I
thought rather a hard woman； has been cryingfor the first time
in my experience of her。 My uncle； always kind and good to me；
has been kinder and better than ever。 He has told me that if I
persist in becoming your wife； I shall not be deserted on my
wedding…day。 Wherever we may marry； he will be there to read the
service； and my aunt will go to the church with me。 But he
entreats me to consider seriously what I am doingto consent to
a separation from you for a timeto consult other people on my
position toward you； if I am not satisfied with his opinion。 Oh；
my darling； they are as anxious to part us as if you were the
worst instead of the best of men！〃
〃Has anything happened since yesterday to increase their distrust
of me？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃
〃What is it？〃
〃You remember referring my uncle to a friend of yours and of
his？〃
〃Yes。 To Major Fitz…David。〃
〃My uncle has written to Major Fitz…David 〃
〃Why？〃
He pronounced that one word in a tone so utterly unlike his
natural tone that his voice sounded quite strange to me。
〃You won't be angry； Eustace； if I tell you？〃 I said。 〃My uncle；
as I understood him； had several motives for writing to the
major。 One of them was to inquire if he knew your mother's
address。〃
Eustace suddenly stood still。
I paused at the same moment； feeling that I could venture no
further without the risk of offending him。
To speak the truth； his conduct； when he first mentioned our
engagement to my uncle； had been （so far as appearances went） a
little flighty and strange。 The vicar had naturally questioned
him about his family。 He had answered that his father was dead；
and he had consented； though not very readily； to announce his
contemplated marriage to his mother。 Informing us that she too
lived in the country； he had gone to see her； without more
particularly mentioning her address。 In two days he had returned
to the Vicarage with a very startling message。 His mother
intended no disrespect to me or my relatives； but she disapproved
so absolutely of her son's marriage that she （and the members of
her family； who all agreed with her） would refuse to be present
at the ceremony； if Mr。 Woodville persisted in keeping his
engagement with Dr。 Starkweather's niece。 Being asked to explain
this extraordinary communication； Eustace had told us that his
mother and his sisters were bent on his marrying another lady；
and that they were bitterly mortified and disappointed by his
choosing a stranger to the family。 This explanation was enough
for me； it implied； so far as I was concerned； a compliment to my
superior influence over Eustace； which a woman always receives
with pleasure。 But it failed to satisfy my uncle and my aunt。 The
vicar expressed to Mr。 Woodville a wish to write to his mother；
or to see her； on the subject of her strange message。 Eustace
obstinately declined to mention his mother's address； on the
ground that the vicar's interference would be utterly useless。 My
uncle at once drew the conclusion that the mystery about the
address indicated something wrong。 He refused to favor Mr。
Woodville's renewed proposal for my hand； and he wrote the same
day to make inquiries of Mr。 Woodville's reference and of his own
friend Major Fitz…David。
Under such circumstances as these； to speak of my uncle's motives
was to venture on very delicate ground。 Eustace relieved me from
further embarrassment by asking a question to which I could
easily reply。
〃Has your uncle received any answer from Major Fitz…David？〃 he
inquired。
〃Yes。
〃Were you allowed to read it？〃 His voice sank as he said those
words； his face betrayed a sudden anxiety which it pained me to
see。
〃I have got the answer with me to show you；〃 I said。
He almost snatched the letter out of my hand； he turned his back
on me to read it by the light of the moon。 The letter was short
enough to be soon read。 I could have repeated it at the time。 I
can repeat it now。
〃DEAR VICARMr。 Eustace Woodville is quite correct in stating
to you that he is a gentleman by birth and position； and that he
inherits （under his deceased father's will） an independent
fortune of two thousand a year。
〃Always yours；
〃LAWRENCE FITZ…DAVID。〃
〃Can anybody wish for a plainer answer than that？〃 Eustace
asked； handing the letter back to me。
〃If _I_ had written for information about you；〃 I answered； 〃it
would have been plain enough for me。〃
〃Is it not plain enough for your uncle？〃
〃No。〃
〃What does he say？〃
〃Why need you care to know； my darling？〃
〃I want to know； Valeria。 There must be no secret between us in
this matter。 Did your uncle say anything when he showed you the
major's letter？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What was it？〃
〃My uncle told me that his letter of inquiry filled three pages；
and he bade me observe that the major's answer contained one
sentence only。 He said； 'I volunteered to go to Major Fitz…David
and talk the matter over。 You see he takes no notice of my
proposal。 I asked him for the address of Mr。 Woodville's mother。
He passes over my request； as he has passed over my proposalhe
studiously confines himself to the shortest possible statement of
bare facts。 Use your common…sense； Valeria。 Isn't this rudeness
rather remarkable on the part of a man who is a gentleman by
birth and breeding； and who is also a friend of mine？'〃
Eustace stopped me there。
〃Did you answer your uncle's question？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 I replied。 〃I only said that I did not understand the
major's conduct。〃
〃And what did your uncle say next？ If you love me； Valeria； tell
me the truth。〃
〃He used very stron g language； Eustace。 He is an old man； you
must not be offended with him。〃
〃I am not offended。 What did he say？〃
〃He said； 'Mark my words！ There is something under the surface in
connection with Mr。 Woodville； or with his family； to which Major
Fitz…David is not at liberty to allude。 Properly interpreted；
Valeria； that letter is a warning。 Show it to Mr。 Woodville； and
tell him （if you like） what I have just told you'〃
Eustace stopped me again。
〃You are sure your uncle said those words？〃 he asked； scanning my
face attentively in the moonlight。
〃Quite sure。 But I don't say what my uncle says。 Pray don't think
that！〃
He suddenly pressed me to his bosom； and fixed his eyes on mine。
His look frightened me。
〃Good…by； Valeria！〃 he said。 〃Try and think kindly of me； my
darling； when you are married to some happier man。〃
He attempted to leave me。 I clung to him in an agony of terror
that shook me from head to foot。
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked； as soon as I could speak。 〃I am
yours and yours only。 What have I said； what have I done； to
deserve those dreadful words？〃
〃We must part； my angel；〃 he answered； sadly。 〃The fault is none
of yours； the misfortune is all mine。 My Valeria！ how can you
marry a man who is an object of suspicion to your nearest and
dearest friends？ I have led a dreary life。 I have never found in
any other woman the sympathy with me； the sweet comfort and
companionship； that I find in you。 Oh； it is hard to lose you！ it
is hard to go back again to my unfriended life！ I must make the
sacrifice； love； for your sake。 I know no more why that letter is
what it is than you do。 Will your uncle believe me？ will your
friends believe me？ One last kiss； Valeria！ Forgive me for having
loved youpassionately； devotedly loved you。 Forgive meand let
me go！〃
I held him desperately； recklessly。 His eyes； put me beside
myself； his words filled me with a frenzy of despair。
〃Go where you may；〃 I said； 〃I go with you！
FriendsreputationI care nothing who I lose； or what I lose！
Oh； Eustace； I am only a womandon't madden me！ I can't live
without you。 I must and will be your wife！〃
Those wild words were all I could say before the misery and
madness in me forced their way outward in a burst of sobs and
tears。
He yielded。 He soothed me with his charming voice； he brought me
back to myself with his tender caresses。 He called the bright
heaven above us to witness that he devoted his whole life to me。
He vowedoh； in such solemn； such eloquent words！that his one
thought； night and day； should be to prove himself worthy of such
love as mine。 And had he not nobly redeemed the pledge？ Had not
the betrothal of that memorable night been followed by the
betrothal at the altar； by the vows before God！ Ah； what a life
was before me！