Russell. As by a flash, he perceived that there had
been some blunder here, by which he was the gainer; and, partly at
least, comprehended it.
These two, mother and aunt, fearing the old fire had not yet burned to
ashes,--nay, from their knowledge of him, sure of it,--hearing naught of
his illness, for he did not care to distress them by any account
thereof, were satisfied that he had either met, or was remaining to
compass a meeting, with Miss Ercildoune. His mother had not the courage,
or the baseness, to write such a letter as that to which Mrs. Russell
urged her,--a letter which should degrade his love in his own eyes, and
recall him from an unworthy pursuit. "Very well!" Mrs. Russell had then
said, "It will be better from you; it will look more like unwarranted
interference from me; but I will write, and you shall send an
accompanying line. Let me have it to-morrow."
The next morning Mrs. Surrey was not well enough to drive out, and thus
sent her note by a servant, enclosing with it the letter of June
27th,--thinking that her sister might want it for reference. When it
reached Mrs. Russell, it was almost mail-time, and with the simple
thought, "So,--Laura has written it, after all," she enclosed it in her
own, and sent it off, post-haste; not even looking at the unsealed
envelope, as Mrs. Surrey had taken for granted she would, and thus
failing to know of its double contents.
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