’Your very affectionate cousin,
’Amelia de Courcy.

’PS.—­I am greatly grieved about Frank; but I have long feared that he would do some very silly thing.  I have heard lately that Miss Mary Thorne is not even the legitimate niece of your Dr Thorne, but is the daughter of some poor creature who was seduced by the doctor, in Barchester.  I do not know how true this may be, but I think your brother should be put on his guard:  it might do good.’

Poor Augusta!  She was in truth to be pitied, for her efforts were made with the intention of doing right according to her lights.  For Mr Moffat she had never cared a straw; and when, therefore, she lost the piece of gilding for which she had been instructed by her mother to sell herself, it was impossible to pity her.  But Mr Gazebee she would have loved with that sort of love which it was in her power to bestow.  With him she would have been happy, respectable, and contented.

She had written her letter with great care.  When the offer was made to her, she could not bring herself to throw Lady Amelia to the winds and marry the man, as it were, out of her own head.  Lady Amelia had been the tyrant of her life, and so she strove hard to obtain her tyrant’s permission.  She used all her little cunning in showing that, after all, Mr Gazebee was not so very plebeian.  All her little cunning was utterly worthless.  Lady Amelia’s mind was too strong to be caught with such chaff.  Augusta could not serve God and Mammon.  She must either be true to the god of her cousin’s idolatry, and remain single, or serve the Mammon of her own inclinations, and marry Mr Gazebee.

When re-folding her cousin’s letter, after the first perusal, she did for a moment think of rebellion.  Could she not be happy at the nice place in Surrey, having, as she would have, a carriage, even though all the De Courcys should drop her?  It had been put to her that she would not like to be received at Courcy Castle with the scant civility which would be considered due to a Mrs Mortimer Gazebee; but what if she could put up without being received at Courcy Castle at all?  Such ideas did float through her mind, dimly.

But her courage failed her.  It is so hard to throw off a tyrant; so much easier to yield, when we have been in the habit of yielding.  This third letter, therefore, was written; and it is the end of the correspondence.

’Miss Augusta Gresham to Lady Amelia de Courcy

’Greshamsbury House, July, 185-

’My dearest Amelia,

’I did not answer your letter before, because I thought it better to delay doing so till Mr Gazebee had been here.  He came the day before yesterday, and yesterday I did, as nearly as possible, what you advised.  Perhaps, on the whole, it will be better.  As you say, rank has its responsibilities as well as its privileges.