As she thought of all this she resolved that it was her duty to write to her lover, and tell him the story as she had heard it.  It might be most necessary that he should know the truth.  She would write her letter and post it,—­so that it should be altogether beyond her mother’s control,—­and then would tell her mother that she had written it.  She at first thought that she would keep a copy of the letter and show it to her mother.  But when it was written,—­those first words intended for a lover’s eyes which had ever been produced by her pen,—­she found that she could not subject those very words to her mother’s hard judgment.

Her letter was as follows: 

“Dear Harry,—­You will be much surprised at receiving a letter from me so soon after our meeting last night.  But I warn you that you must not take it amiss.  I should not write now were it not that I think it may be for your interest that I should do so.  I do not write to say a word about my love, of which I think you may be assured without any letter.  I told mamma last night what had occurred between us, and she of course was very angry.  You will understand that, knowing how anxious she has been on behalf of my cousin Mountjoy.  She has always taken his part, and I think it does mamma great honor not to throw him over now that he is in trouble.  I should never have thrown him over in his trouble, had I ever cared for him in that way.  I tell you that fairly, Master Harry.

“But mamma, in speaking against you, which she was bound to do in supporting poor Mountjoy, declared that you were the last person who had seen my cousin before his disappearance, and she knew that there had been some violent struggle between you.  Indeed, she knew all the truth as to that night, except that the attack had been made by Mountjoy on you.  She turned the story all round, declaring that you had attacked him,—­which, as you perceive, gives a totally different appearance to the whole matter.  Somebody has told her,—­though who it may have been I cannot guess,—­but somebody has been endeavoring to do you all the mischief he can in the matter, and has made mamma think evil of you.  She says that after attacking him, and brutally ill-using him, you had left him in the street, and had subsequently denied all knowledge of having seen him.  You will perceive that somebody has been at work inventing a story to do you a mischief, and I think it right that I should tell you.

“But you must never believe that I shall believe anything to your discredit.  It would be to my discredit now.  I know that you are good, and true, and noble, and that you would not do anything so foul as this.  It is because I know this that I have loved you, and shall always love you.  Let mamma and others say what they will, you are now to me all the world.  Oh, Harry, Harry, when I think of it, how serious it seems to me, and yet how joyful!  I exult in you, and will do so, let them say what they may against you.  You will be sure of that always.  Will you not be sure of it?