finished--well--now observe--if Florence sees that letter she will not
and cannot marry the man who wrote it--you must show it to her."

"Ah, my guardian angel, I see it all! Yes, there are words in this
letter no woman so proud could ever pardon. Give me it again, I will go
at once."

"Pshaw! You are too quick; you have not remarked that this letter was
written five months ago, before Maltravers knew much of Lady Florence.
He himself has confessed to her that he did not then love her--so much
the more would she value the conquest she has now achieved. Florence
would smile at this letter, and say, 'Ah, he judges me differently
now.'"

"Are you seeking to madden me? What do you mean? Did you not just now
say that, did she see that letter, she would never marry the writer?"

"Yes, yes, but the letter must be altered. We must erase the date;--we
must date it from to-day;--to-day--Maltravers returns to-day. We must
suppose it written, not in answer to a letter from you, demanding his
advice and opinion as to your marriage with Lady Florence, but in answer
to a letter of yours in which you congratulate him on his approaching
marriage to her. By the substitution of one pronoun for another, in two
places, the letter will read as well one way as another. Read it again,
and see; or stop, I will be the lecturer."

Here Ferrers read over the letter, which, by the trifling substitutions
he proposed, might indeed bear the character he wished to give it.

"Does the light break in upon you now?" said Ferrers. Are you prepared