Why did you offer it?  You would not have proposed to give me a large sum of money like that without some reason.  I have been shocked to hear that you have denied that you ever engaged yourself to me.  You know that you were engaged to me.  It would have been more honest and more manly if you had declared at once that you repented of your engagement.  But the truth is that till I see you myself and hear what you have to say out of your own mouth I cannot believe what other people tell me.  I must ask you to name some place where we can meet.  As for this offer of money, it goes for nothing.  You must have known that I would not take it. 
                                   Arabella.

It was now just the end of February, and the visit of the Trefoil ladies to the Connop Greens had to come to an end.  They had already overstaid the time at first arranged, and Lady Augustus, when she hinted that another week at Marygold,—­“just till this painful affair was finally settled,”—­would be beneficial to her, was informed that the Connop Greens themselves were about to leave home.  Lady Augustus had reported to Mrs. Connop Green that Lord Rufford was behaving very badly, but that the matter was still in a “transition state.”  Mrs. Connop Green was very sorry, but—.  So Lady Augustus and Arabella betook themselves to Orchard Street, being at that moment unable to enter in upon better quarters.

What a home it was,—­and what a journey up to town!  Arabella had told her mother that the letter to Lord Rufford had been written and posted, and since that hardly a word had passed between them.  When they left Marygold in the Connop Green carriage they smiled, and shook hands, and kissed their friends in unison, and then sank back into silence.  At the station they walked up and down the platform together for the sake of appearance, but did not speak.  In the train there were others with them and they both feigned to be asleep.  Then they were driven to their lodgings in a cab, still speechless.  It was the mother who first saw that the horror of this if continued would be too great to be endured.  “Arabella,” she said in a hoarse voice, “why don’t you speak?”

“Because I’ve got nothing to say.”

“That’s nonsense.  There is always something to say.”

“You have ruined me, mamma; just ruined me.”

“I did for you the very best I could.  If you would have been advised by me, instead of being ruined, you would have had a handsome fortune.  I have slaved for you for the last twelve years.  No mother ever sacrificed herself for her child more than I have done for you, and now see the return I get.  I sometimes think that it will kill me.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“Everything I say is nonsense,—­while you tell me one day that you are going to hang yourself, and another day that you will drown yourself.”

“So I would if I dared.  What is it that you have brought me to?  Who will have me in their houses when they hear that you consented to take Lord Rufford’s money?”