handsome, so charming, so fascinating! A few weeks passed like a dream.
I met him in the early morning, I met him in the gloaming. He swore a
hundred times each day that he would marry me when he came of age. We
must wait until then. I never dreamed of harm or wrong, I believed in
him implicitly, as I loved him. I believe every word that came from his
lips. May Heaven spare me! I need tell you no more. A girl of eighteen
madly, passionately in love; a girl as ignorant as any girl could be,
and a handsome, experienced man of the world.

"There was no hope, no chance. I fell; yet almost without knowing how I
had fallen. You will spare me the rest, I know.

"When in my sore anguish and distress, I went to him, I thought he would
marry me at once; I thought he would be longing only to make me happy
again; to comfort me; to solace me; to make amends for all I had
suffered. I went to him in London with my heart full of longing and
love. I had left my situation, and my stern, cruel grandmother believed
that I had found another. If I lived to be a thousand years old I should
never forget my horror and surprise. He had worshipped me; he had sworn
a thousand times over that he would marry me; he had loved me with the
tenderest love.

"Now, when after waiting some hours, I saw him last, he frowned at me;
there was no kiss, no caress, no welcome.

"'This is a nice piece of news,' he said. 'This comes of country
visiting.'

"'But you love me?--you love me?' I cried.