to me. I IMPLORE you to let me come back. I will find a thousand
excuses for returning, and we will marry. We had vowed marriage to
each other and why should not our vows be fulfilled? Marriage,
marriage AT ONCE. You will not, you CANNOT, no, you CANNOT, you must
see you cannot refuse. My father wishes to make this town his
headquarters for ten days. Write by return for mercy's sake.--Your
ever devoted

'FRANK.'


The reply came only a day late.


'My dear Frank,--Forgiveness! Who is to be forgiven? Not you. You
believed you loved me, but I doubted my love, and I know now that no
true love for you exists. We must part, and part forever. Whatever
wrong may have been done, marriage to avoid disgrace would be a wrong
to both of us infinitely greater. I owe you an expiation; your
release is all I can offer, and it is insufficient. I can only plead
that I was deaf and blind. By some miracle, I cannot tell how, my
ears and eyes are opened, and I hear and see. It is not the first
time in my life that the truth has been revealed to me suddenly,
supernaturally, I may say, as if in a vision, and I know the
revelation is authentic. There must be no wavering, no half-
measures, and I absolutely forbid another letter from you. If one
arrives I must, for the sake of my own peace and resolution, refuse
to read it. You have simply to announce to your father that the
engagement is at an end, and give no reasons.--Your faithful friend