And now I have kept the biggest news to the last. Mother has been to
Madame, and she says that if she works all night, she will have
everything ready for the 30th. O Frank, does it not seem incredible!
Next Tuesday three weeks. And the banns! Oh my goodness, I am
frightened when I think about it! Dear old boy, you won't tire of
me, will you? Whatever should I do if I thought you had tired of me!
And the worst of it is, that you don't know me a bit. I have a
hundred thousand faults, and you arc blinded by your love and cannot
see them. But then some day the scales will fall from your eyes, and
you will perceive the whole hundred thousand at once. Oh, what a
reaction there will be! You will see me as I am, frivolous, wilful,
idle, petulant, and altogether horrid. But I do love you, Frank,
with all my heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and you'll count
that on the other side, won't you? Now I am so glad I have said all
this, because it is best that you should know what you should expect.
It will be nice for you to look back and to say, 'She gave me fair
warning, and she is no worse than she said.' O Frank, think of the
30th.

P.S.--I forgot to say that I had a grey silk cape, lined with cream,
to go with the dress. It is just sweet!

So that is how they arranged about the date.



CHAPTER II--THE OVERTURE CONTINUED--IN A MINOR KEY