Itstruckmetotheheartwhenhetoldmethis，forthough
itwasmostrationaltothinkIwouldnotdenyhim，yetIknew
inmyownconscienceImustdenyhim，andIsawmyruinin
mybeingobligedtodoso；butIknewitwasmybusinessto
talkotherwisethen，soIinterruptedhiminhisstorythus。
’Ay！，’saidI，’doeshethinkIcannotdenyhim？
Butheshall
findIcandenyhim，forallthat。’
’Well，mydear，’sayshe，’butletmegiveyouthewholestory
asitwentonbetweenus，andthensaywhatyouwill。’
Thenhewentonandtoldmethatherepliedthus:
’But，
brother，youknowshehasnothing，andyoumayhaveseveral
ladieswithgoodfortunes。’
’’Tisnomatterforthat，’saidRobin；’Ilovethegirl，andIwill
neverpleasemypocketinmarrying，andnotpleasemyfancy。’
’Andso，mydear，’addshe，’thereisnoopposinghim。’
’Yes，yes，’saysI，’youshallseeIcanopposehim；Ihave
learnttosayNo，nowthoughIhadnotlearntitbefore；ifthe
bestlordinthelandofferedmemarriagenow，Icouldvery
cheerfullysayNotohim。’
’Well，but，mydear，’sayshe，’whatcanyousaytohim？
You
know，asyousaidwhenwetalkedofitbefore，hewellask
youmanyquestionsaboutit，andallthehousewillwonder
whatthemeaningofitshouldbe。’
’Why，’saysI，smiling，’Icanstopalltheirmouthsatoneclap
bytellinghim，andthemtoo，thatIammarriedalreadytohis
elderbrother。’
Hesmiledalittletooattheword，butIcouldseeitstartled
him，andhecouldnothidethedisorderitputhiminto。
However，hereturned，’Why，thoughthatmaybetrueinsome
sense，yetIsupposeyouarebutinjestwhenyoutalkof
givingsuchananswerasthat；itmaynotbeconvenienton
manyaccounts。’
’No，no，’saysIpleasantly，’Iamnotsofondoflettingthe
secretcomeoutwithoutyourconsent。’
’Butwhat，then，canyousaytohim，ortothem，’sayshe，
’whentheyfindyoupositiveagainstamatchwhichwould
beapparentlysomuchtoyouradvantage？’
’Why，’saysI，’shouldIbeataloss？
Firstofall，Iamnot
obligedtogivemeanyreasonatall；ontheotherhand，Imay
tellthemIammarriedalready，andstopthere，andthatwill
beafullstoptootohim，forhecanhavenoreasontoaskone
questionafterit。’
’Ay，’sayshe；’butthewholehousewillteaseyouaboutthat，
eventofatherandmother，andifyoudenythempositively，
theywillbedisobligedatyou，andsuspiciousbesides。’
’Why，’saysI，’whatcanIdo？
Whatwouldhavemedo？
I
wasinstraightenoughbefore，andasItoldyou，Iwasin
perplexitybefore，andacquaintedyouwiththecircumstances，
thatImighthaveyouradvice。’
’Mydear，’sayshe，’Ihavebeenconsideringverymuchupon
it，youmaybesure，andthoughitisapieceofadvicethathas
agreatmanymortificationsinittome，andmayatfirstseem
strangetoyou，yet，allthingsconsidered，Iseenobetterway
foryouthantolethimgoon；andifyoufindhimheartyand
inearnest，marryhim。’
Igavehimalookfullofhorroratthosewords，and，turning
paleasdeath，wasattheverypointofsinkingdownoutofthe
chairIsatin；when，givingastart，’Mydear，’sayshealoud，
’what’sthematterwithyou？
Whereareyoua-going？’anda
greatmanysuchthings；andwithjoggingandcalledtome，
fetchedmealittletomyself，thoughitwasagoodwhilebefore
Ifullyrecoveredmysenses，andwasnotabletospeakfor
severalminutesmore。
WhenIwasfullyrecoveredhebeganagain。
’Mydear，’says
he，’whatmadeyousosurprisedatwhatIsaid？
Iwouldhave
youconsiderseriouslyofit？
Youmayseeplainlyhowthe
familystandinthiscase，andtheywouldbestarkmadifit
wasmycase，asitismybrother’s；andforaughtIsee，it
wouldbemyruinandyourstoo。’
’Ay！’saysI，stillspeakingangrily；’areallyourprotestations
andvowstobeshakenbythedislikeofthefamily？
DidInot
alwaysobjectthattoyou，andyoumadelightthingofit，as
whatyouwereabove，andwouldvalue；andisitcometo
thisnow？’saidI。
’Isthisyourfaithandhonour，yourlove，
andthesolidityofyourpromises？’
Hecontinuedperfectlycalm，notwithstandingallmyreproaches，
andIwasnotsparingofthematall；butherepliedatlast，
’Mydear，Ihavenotbrokenonepromisewithyouyet；Idid
tellyouIwouldmarryyouwhenIwascometomyestate；but
youseemyfatherisahale，healthyman，andmaylivethese
thirtyyearsstill，andnotbeolderthanseveralareroundusin
town；andyouneverproposedmymarryingyousooner，
becauseyouknewitmightbemyruin；andastoalltherest，I
havenotfailedyouinanything，youhavewantedfornothing。’
Icouldnotdenyawordofthis，andhadnothingtosaytoit
ingeneral。
’Butwhy，then，’saysI，’canyoupersuademeto
suchahorridstepasleavingyou，sinceyouhavenotleftme？
Willyouallownoaffection，noloveonmyside，wherethere
hasbeensomuchonyourside？
HaveImadeyounoreturns？
HaveIgivennotestimonyofmysincerityandofmypassion？
ArethesacrificesIhavemadeofhonourandmodestytoyou
noproofofmybeingtiedtoyouinbondstoostrongtobe
broken？’
’Buthere，mydear，’sayshe，’youmaycomeintoasafestation，
andappearwithhonourandwithsplendouratonce，andthe
remembranceofwhatwehavedonemaybewraptupinan
eternalsilence，asifithadneverhappened；youshallalways
havemyrespect，andmysincereaffection，onlythenitshall
behonest，andperfectlyjusttomybrother；youshallbemy
dearsister，asnowyouaremydear——’andtherehestopped。
’Yourdearwhore，’saysI，’youwouldhavesaidifyouhad
goneon，andyoumightaswellhavesaidit；butIunderstand
you。
However，Idesireyoutorememberthelongdiscourses
youhavehadwithme，andthemanyhours’painsyouhave
takentopersuademetobelievemyselfanhonestwoman；
thatIwasyourwifeintentionally，thoughnotintheeyesof
theworld，andthatitwasaseffectualamarriagethathad
passedbetweenusasiswehadbeenpubliclyweddedbythe
parsonoftheparish。
Youknowandcannotbutremember
thatthesehavebeenyourownwordstome。’
Ifoundthiswasalittletoocloseuponhim，butImadeitup
inwhatfollows。
Hestoodstock-stillforawhileandsaid
nothing，andIwentonthus:
’Youcannot，’saysI，’without
thehighestinjustice，believethatIyieldeduponallthese
persuasionswithoutalovenottobequestioned，nottobe
shakenagainbyanythingthatcouldhappenafterward。
Ifyou
havesuchdishonourablethoughtsofme，Imustaskyouwhat
foundationinanyofmybehaviourhaveIgivenforsucha
suggestion？
’If，then，Ihaveyieldedtotheimportunitiesofmyaffection，
andifIhavebeenpersuadedtobelievethatIamreally，and
intheessenceofthething，yourwife，shallInowgivethelie
toallthoseargumentsandcallmyselfyourwhore，ormistress，
whichisthesamething？
Andwillyoutransfermetoyour
brother？
Canyoutransfermyaffection？
Canyoubidme
ceaselovingyou，andbidmelovehim？
Itisinmypower，
thinkyou，tomakesuchachangeatdemand？
No，sir，’saidI，
’dependuponit’tisimpossible，andwhateverthechangeof
yoursidemaybe，Iwilleverbetrue；andIhadmuchrather，
sinceitiscomethatunhappylength，beyourwhorethanyour
brother’swife。’
Heappearedpleasedandtouchedwiththeimpressionofthis
lastdiscourse，andtoldmethathestoodwherehedidbefore；
thathehadnotbeenunfaithfultomeinanyonepromisehe
hadevermadeyet，butthatthereweresomanyterriblethings
presentedthemselvestohisviewintheaffairbeforeme，and
thatonmyaccountinparticular，thathehadthoughtofthe
otherasaremedysoeffectualasnothingcouldcomeuptoit。
Thathethoughtthiswouldnotbeentirepartingus，butwe
mightloveasfriendsallourdays，andperhapswithmore
satisfactionthanweshouldinthestationwewerenowin，
asthingsmighthappen；thathedurstsay，Icouldnotapprehend
anythingfromhimastobetrayingasecret，whichcouldnot
butbethedestructionofusboth，ifitcameout；thathehad
butonequestiontoaskofmethatcouldlieinthewayofit，
andifthatquestionwasansweredinthenegative，hecould
notbutthinkstillitwastheonlystepIcouldtake。
Iguessedathisquestionpresently，namely，whetherIwas
sureIwasnotwithchild？
Astothat，Itoldhimheneednot
beconcernedaboutit，forIwasnotwithchild。
’Why，then，
mydear，’sayshe，’wehavenotimetotalkfurthernow。
Considerofit，andthinkcloselyaboutit；Icannotbutbeof
theopinionstill，thatitwillbethebestcourseyoucantake。’
Andwiththishetookhisleave，andthemorehastilytoo，his
motherandsistersringingatthegate，justatthemomentthat
hehadrisenuptogo。
Heleftmeintheutmostconfusionof
thought；andheeasily
perceiveditthenextday，andalltherestoftheweek，forit
wasbutTuesdayeveningwhenwetalked；buthehadno
opportunitytocomeatmeallthatweek，tilltheSundayafter，
whenI，beingindisposed，didnotgotochurch，andhe，making
someexcuseforthelike，stayedathome。
Andnowhehadmeanhourandahalfagainbymyself，and
wefellintothesameargumentsalloveragain，oratleastso
nearthesame，asitwouldbetonopurposetorepeatthem。
AtlastIaskedhimwarmly，whatopinionhemusthaveofmy
modesty，thathecouldsupposeIshouldsomuchasentertain
athoughtoflyingwithtwobrothers，andassuredhimitcould
neverbe。