“DEARSIR——Thenameattheendoftheselineswill，Ifear，recalltoyouaveryrudereturnmadeonmypart，sometimesince，foranactofneighborlykindnessonyours。IcanonlysayinexcusethatIamagreatsufferer，andthat，ifIwasill-temperedenough，inamomentofirritationunderseverepain，tosendbackyourpresentoffruit，Ihaveregretteddoingsoeversince。Attributethisletter，ifyouplease，tomydesiretomakesomeatonement，andtomywishtobeofservicetoourgoodfriendandlandlord，ifIpossiblycan。
“Ihavebeeninformedofthequestionwhichyouaddressedtomyhusband，thedaybeforeyesterday，onthesubjectofMissGwilt。
FromallIhaveheardofyou，Iamquitesurethatyouranxietytoknowmoreofthischarmingpersonthanyouknownowisananxietyproceedingfromthemosthonorablemotives。Believingthis，Ifeelawoman’sinterest——incurableinvalidasIam——inassistingyou。IfyouaredesirousofbecomingacquaintedwithMissGwilt’sfamilycircumstanceswithoutdirectlyappealingtoMissGwiltherself，itrestswithyoutomakethediscovery;andIwilltellyouhow。
“Itsohappensthat，somefewdayssince，IwroteprivatelytoMissGwilt’sreferenceonthisverysubject。Ihadlongobservedthatmygovernesswassingularlyreluctanttospeakofherfamilyandherfriends;and，withoutattributinghersilencetootherthanperfectlypropermotives，Ifeltitmydutytomydaughtertomakesomeinquiryonthesubject。TheanswerthatIhavereceivedissatisfactoryasfarasitgoes。MycorrespondentinformsmethatMissGwilt’sstoryisaverysadone，andthatherownconductthroughouthasbeenpraiseworthyintheextreme。
Thecircumstancesofadomesticnature，asIgatherareallplainlystatedinacollectionoflettersnowinthepossessionofMissGwilt’sreference。Thisladyisperfectlywillingtoletmeseetheletters;butnotpossessingcopiesofthem，andbeingpersonallyresponsiblefortheirsecurity，sheisreluctant，ifitcanbeavoided，totrustthemtothepost;andshebegsmetowaituntilsheorIcanfindsomereliablepersonwhocanbeemployedtotransmitthepacketfromherhandstomine。