all that sort of thing went out of fashion with our great-grandmother's
hoops, and crinolines. So George, I have decided to marry the Duke of
Ryde. The ceremony will take place in three weeks time at St. George's,
Hanover Square, and everyone will be there, of course. If you care to
come too, so much the better. I won't say that I hope you will forget
me, because I don't; but I am sure you will find someone to console you
because you are such a dear, good fellow, and so ridiculously rich.

So good-bye, and best wishes,

Ever yours most sincerely,

SYLVIA.

Now under such circumstances, had Bellew sought oblivion and consolation
from bottles, or gone headlong to the devil in any of other numerous
ways that are more or less inviting, deluded people would have pitied
him, and shaken grave heads over him; for it seems that disappointment
(more especially in love) may condone many offences, and cover as many
sins as Charity.

But Bellew, knowing nothing of that latter-day hysteria which wears the
disguise, and calls itself "Temperament," and being only a rather
ordinary young man, did nothing of the kind. Having lighted his pipe,
and read the letter through again, he rang instead for Baxter,
his valet.

Baxter was small, and slight, and dapper as to person, clean-shaven,
alert of eye, and soft of movement,--in a word, Baxter was the cream of
gentlemen's gentlemen, and the very acme of what a valet should be, from