She did not mention anybody’s name, but of course I understood very well what she meant; and I suppose she is right.  I said nothing in answer to her, for I could not speak.  She was holding my hand, and I took hers up and kissed it, to show her, if I could, that I knew that she was right; but I could not have spoken about it for all the world.  It was not ten days since that she herself, with all her prudence, told me that she thought I ought to make up my mind what answer I would give him.  And then I did not say anything; but of course she knew.  And after that Miss Anne spoke quite freely about it, so that I had to beg her to be silent even before the girls.  You know how imprudent she is.  But it is all over now.  Of course Miss Annabella is right.  He has got a great many people to think of; his father and mother, and his darling little Edith, whom he brought here twice, and left her with us once for two days, so that she got to know me quite well; and I took such a love for her, that I could not bear to part with her.  But I think sometimes that all our family are born to be unfortunate, and then I tell myself that I will never hope for anything again.

’Pray write to me soon.  I feel as though nothing on earth could comfort me, and yet I shall like to have your letter.  Dear, dear Lily, I am not even yet so wretched but what I shall rejoice to be told good news of you.  If it only could be as John wishes it!  And why should it not?  It seems to me that nobody has a right or a reason to by unhappy except us.  Good-bye, dearest Lily.  ’Your affectionate friend, ‘grace Crawley’

’P.S.—­I think I have made up my mind that I will go back to Hogglestock at once if the magistrates decide against papa.  I think I should be doing the school harm if I were to stay here.’

The answer to this letter did not reach Miss Crawley till after the magistrate’s hearing on the Thursday, but it will be better for our story that it should be given here than postponed until the result of that meeting shall have been told.  Miss Dale’s answer was as follows:-

’Allington,—­December, 186- ’dear grace, ’Your letter has made me very unhappy.  If it can at all comfort you to know that mamma and I sympathise with you altogether, in that you may at any rate be sure.  But in such troubles nothing will give comfort.  They must be borne, till the fire of misfortune burns itself out.

’I had heard about the affair a day or two before I got your note.  Our clergyman, Mr Boyce, told us of it.  Of course we all know that the charge must be altogether unfounded, and mamma says that the truth will be sure to show itself at last.  But that conviction does not cure the evil, and I can well understand that your father should suffer grievously; and I pity your mother quite as much as I do him.