`Why，yes，inamanner。Forawhile，hemanagedverywell；indeed，hewasamodelofmoderationandprudence——somethingtoomuchsoforthetastesofourwildcommunity；——but，somehow，Lowboroughhadnotthegiftofmoderation：Ifhestumbledalittletooneside，hemustgodownbeforehecouldrighthimself：ifheovershotthemarkonenight，theeffectsofitrenderedhimsomiserablethenextdaythathemustrepeattheoffencetomendit；andsoonfromdaytoday，tillhisclamorousconsciencebroughthimtoastand——Andthen，inhissobermoments，hesobotheredhisfriendswithhisremorse，andhisterrorsandwoes，thattheywereobliged，inself-defence，togethimtodrownhissorrowsinwine，oranymorepotentbeveragethatcametohand；andwhenhisfirstscruplesofconsciencewereovercome，hewouldneednomorepersuading，hewouldoftengrowdesperate，andbeasgreatablackguardasanyofthemcoulddesire——butonlytolamenthisownunutterablewickednessanddegradationthemorewhenthefitwasover。
`Atlast，onedaywhenheandIwerealonetogether，afterponderingawhileinoneofhisgloomy，abstractedmoods，withhisarmsfoldedandhisheadsunkonhisbreast，——hesuddenlywokeup，andvehementlygraspingmyarm，said，——
`Huntingdon，thiswon’tdo！I’mresolvedtohavedonewithit。’
`What，areyougoingtoshootyourself？’saidI。
`No；I’mgoingtoreform，’
`Oh，that’snothingnew]You’vebeengoingtoreformthesetwelvemonthsandmore。’
`Yes，butyouwouldn’tletme；andIwassuchafoolIcouldn’tlivewithoutyou。ButnowIseewhatitisthatkeepsmeback，andwhat’swantedtosaveme；andI’dcompassseaandlandtogetit——onlyI’mafraidthere’snchance。’Andbesighedasifhisheartwouldbreak。
`WhatisitLowborough？’saidI，thinkingbewasfairlycrackedatlast，`Awife，’heanswered；`forIcan’tlivealone，becausemyownminddistractsme，andIcan’tlivewithyou，becauseyoutakethedevil’spartagainstme。’
`Who——I？’
`Yes——allofyoudo，——andyoumorethananyofthem，youknow，ButifIcouldgetawife，withfortuneenoughtopayoffmydebtsandsetmestraightintheworld——`
`Tobesure，’saidI。
`Andsweetnessandgoodnessenough，’becontinued，`tomakehometolerable，andtoreconcilemetomyself，——IthinkIshoulddo，yet，I
shallneverbeinloveagain，that’scertain；butperhapsthatwouldbenogreatmatter，itwouldenablemetochoosewithmyeyesopen，——andI
shouldmakeagoodhusbandinspiteofit；butcouldanyonebeinlovewithme？——that’sthequestion——Withyourgoodlooksandpowersoffascination’
(hewaspleasedtosay)，`Imighthope；butasitis，Huntingdon，doyouthinkanybodywouldtakeme——ruinedandwretchedasIam？’
`Yes，certainly。’
`Who？’
`Why，anyneglectedoldmaid，fastingindespair，wouldbedelightedto——`
`No，no，’saidhe——`itmustbesomebodythatIcanlove。’
`Why，youjustsaidyounevercouldbeinloveagain！’
`Well，loveisnottheword，——butsomebodythatIcanlike——I’llsearchallEnglandthrough，atallevents！’hecried，withasuddenburstofhope，ordesperation。`Succeedorfall，itwillbebetterthanrushingheadlongtodestructionatthatd——dclub：sofarewelltoitandyou，WheneverImeetyouonhonestgroundorunderaChristianroof，Ishallbegladtoseeyou；butnevermoreshallyouenticemetothatdevil’sden！’
`Thiswasshamefullanguage，butIshookhandswithhim，andweparted。Hekepthisword；andfromthattimeforward，hehasbeenapatternofpropriety，asfarasIcantell；but，tilllately，Ihavenothadverymuchtodowithhim。Heoccasionallysoughtmycompanybutasfrequentlyshrunkfromit，fearinglestIshouldwilehimbacktodestruction，andIfoundhisnotveryentertaining，especiallyashesometimesattemptedtoawakenmyconscienceanddrawmefromtheperditionheconsideredhimselftohaveescaped；butwhenIdidhappentomeethim，Iseldomfailedtoaskaftertheprogressofhismatrimonialeffortsandresearches，and，ingeneralhecouldgivemebutapooraccount。Themotherswererepelledbyhisemptycoffersandhisreputationforgambling，andthedaughtersbyhiscloudybrowandmelancholytemper，——besides，hedidn’tunderstandthem；hewantedthespiritandassurancetocarryhispoint。
`IlefthimatitwhenIwenttothecontinent；andonmyreturn，attheyear’send，Ifoundhimstilladisconsolatebachelor——though，certainly，lookingsomewhatlesslikeanunblestexilefromthetombthanbefore。
Theyoungladieshadceasedtobeafraidofhim，andwerebeginningtothinkhimquiteinteresting；butthemammaswerestillunrelenting，Itwasaboutthistime，Helen，thatmygoodangelbroughtmeintoconjunctionwithyou；andthenIhadeyesandearsfornobodyelse，Butmeantime，Lowboroughbecameacquaintedwithourcharmingfriend，MissWilmot——throughinterventionofhisgoodangel，nodoubthewouldtellyou，thoughhedidnotdaretofixhishopesononesocourtedandadmired，tillaftertheywerebroughtintoclosercontacthereatStaningley，andshe，intheabsenceofherotheradmirers，indubitablycourtedhisnoticeandheldouteveryencouragementtohistimidadvances。Thenindeed，hebegantohopeforadawnofbrighterdays；andif，forawhile，Idarkenedhisprospectsbystandingbetweenhimandhissun——andso，nearlyplungedhimagainintotheabyssofdespair——itonlyintensifiedhisardourandstrengthenedhishopeswhenIchosetoabandonthefieldinthepursuitofabrightertreasure。Inaword，asItoldyou，heisfairlybesotted，Atfirst，hecoulddimlyperceiveherfaults，andtheygavehimconsiderableuneasiness；butnowhispassionandherarttogetherhaveblindedhimtoeverythingbutherperfectionsandhisamazinggoodfortune，Lastnight，hecametoruebrimfulofhisnew-foundfelicity：
`Huntingdon，Iamnotacastaway！’saidhe，seizingmyhandandsqueezingitlikeavice，`Thereishappinessinstoreformeyet——eveninthislife——shelovesme！’
`Indeed！’saidI。`Hasshetoldyouso？’
`No，butIcannolongerdoubtit。Doyounotseehowpointedlykindandaffectionatesheis？Andsheknowstheutmostextentofmypoverty，andcaresnothingaboutit！Sheknowsallthefollyandallthewickednessofmyformerlife，andisnotafraidtotrustme——andmyrankandtitlearenoallurementstoher；forthem，sheutterlydisregards。Sheisthemostgenerous，highmindedbeingthatcanbeconceivedof。Shewillsaveme，bodyandsoul，fromdestruction。Already，shehasennobledmeinmyownestimation，andmademethreetimesbetter，wiser，greaterthanIwas，Oh！ifIhadbutknownherbefore，howmuchdegradationandmiseryIshouldhavebeenspared！ButwhathaveIdonetodeservesomagnificentacreature？’
`Andthecreamofthejest，’continuedMrHuntingdon，laughing，`isthattheartfulminxlovesnothingabouthim，buthistitleandpedigree，and`thatdelightfuloldfamilyseat，’
`Howdoyouknow？’saidI。
`Shetoldmesoherself；shesaid，`Asforthemanhimself，I
thoroughlydespisehim；butthen，Isuppose，itistimetobemakingmychoice，andifIwaitedforsomeonecapableofelicitingmyesteemandaffection，Ishouldhavetopassmylifeinsingleblessedness，forIdetestyouall！’Ha，ha！Isuspectshewaswrongthere；——buthowever，itisevidentshehasnoloveforhim，poorfellow，’
`Thenyououghttotellhimso。’
`What，andspoilallherplansandprospects，poorgirl？No，no；
thatwouldbeabreachofconfidence，wouldn’tit，Helen？Ha，ha！Besides，itwouldbreakhisheart。’Andhelaughedagain。
`Well，MrHuntingdon，Idon’tknowwhatyouseesoamazinglydivertinginthematter：Iseenothingtolaughat。’
`I’mlaughingatyou，justnow，Jove，’saidhe，redoublinghiscachinnations，Andleavinghimtoenjoyhismerrimentalone，ItouchedRubywiththewhip，andcanteredontorejoinourcompanions；forwehadbeenwalkingourhorsesallthistime，andwereconsequentlyalongwaybehind。Arthurwassoonatmysideagain；butnotdisposedtotalktohim，Ibrokeintoagallop。Hedidthesame；andwedidnotslackenourpacetillwecameupwithMissWilmotandLordLowborough，whichwaswithinhalfamileoftheparkgates。Iavoidedallfurtherconversationwithhim，tillwecametotheendofourride，whenImeanttojumpoffmyhorseandvanishintothehouse，beforehecouldofferhisassistance；butwhileIwasdisengagingmyhabitfromthecrutch，heliftedmeoff；andheldmebybothhands，assertingthathewouldnotletmegotillIhadforgivenhim。
`Ihavenothingtoforgive，’saidI。Youhavenotinjuredme。’
`No，darling——GodforbidthatIshould！——butyouareangry，becauseitwastomethatAnnabellaconfessedherlackofesteemforherlover。’
`No，Arthur，itisnotthatthatdispleasesme：itisthewholesystemofyourconducttowardsyourfriend；andifyouwishmetoforgetit，go，now，andtellhimwhatsortofwomanitis，thatheadoressomadly，andonwhomhehashunghishopesoffuturehappiness。’
`Itellyou，Helen，itwouldbreakhisheart——itwouldbethedeathofhim，——besidesbeingascandaloustricktopoorAnnabella。Thereisnohelpforhimnow；heispastprayingfor。Besides，shemaykeepupthedeceptiontotheendofthechapter：andthenhewillbejustashappyintheillusionasifitwerereality；orperhapshewillonlydiscoverhismistakewhenhehasceasedtoloveher；——andifnot，itismuchbetterthatthetruthshoulddawngraduallyuponhim，Sonow，myangel，IhopeIhavemadeoutaclearcase，andfullyconvincedyouthatIcannotmaketheatonementyourequire。Whatotherrequisitionhaveyoutomake？Speak，andIwillgladlyobey。’
`Ihavenonebutthis，’saidI，asgravelyasbefore；`that，infuture，youwillnevermakeajestofthesufferingsofothers，andalwaysuseyourinfluencewithyourfriendsfortheirownadvantageagainsttheirevilpropensities，insteadofsecondingtheirevilpropensitiesagainstthemselves。’
`Iwilldomyutmost，’saidhe，`torememberandperformtheinjunctionsofmyangelmonitress，’andafterkissingbothmyglovedhands，heletmego。
WhenIenteredmyroom，IwassurprisedtoseeAnnabellaWilmotstandingbeforemytoilet-table，composedlysurveyingherfeaturesintheglass，withonehandflirtinghergold-mountedwhip，andtheotherholdingupherlonghabit。
`Shecertainlyisamagnificentcreature！’thoughtI，asIbeheldthattall，finely-developedfigure，andthereflectionofthehandsomefaceinthemirrorbeforeme，withtheglossydarkhair，slightlyandnotungracefullydisorderedbythebreezyride，therichbrowncomplexionglowingwithexercise，andtheblackeyessparklingwithunwontedbrilliance。Onperceivingme，sheturnedroundexclaiming，withalaughthatsavouredmoreofmalicethanofmirth，——
`WhyHelen！whathaveyoubeendoingsolong？——Icametotellyoumygoodfortune，’shecontinued，regardlessofRachel’spresence。
`LordLowboroughhasproposed，andIhavebeengraciouslypleasedtoaccepthim。Don’tyouenvyme，dear？’
`No，love，’saidI——`orhimeither，’Imentallyadded。`AnddoyoulikehimAnnabella？’
`Likehim！yes，tobesure——overheadandearsinlove！’
`Well，Ihopeyou’llmakehimagoodwife’
`Thankyou，mydear！Andwhatbesidesdoyouhope？’
`Ihopeyouwillbothloveeachother，andbothbehappy。’
`Thanks；——andIhopeyouwillmakeaverygoodwifetoMrHuntingdon！’saidshe，withaqueenlybow，andretired。
`Oh，miss！howcouldyousaysotoher？’criedRachel。
`Saywhat？’repliedI。
`Why，thatyouhopedshewouldmakehimagoodwife——Ineverheardsuchathing！’
`BecauseIdohopeit——orrather，Iwishit——she’salmostpasthope。’
`Well！’saidshe，`I’msureIhopehe’llmakeheragoodhusband。Theytellqueerthingsabouthimdownstairs。Theyweresaying——
`Iknow，Rachel——I’veheardallabouthim；buthe’sreformednow。
Andtheyhavenobusinesstotelltalesabouttheirmasters。’
`No，mum——orelse，theyhavesaidsomethingsaboutMrHuntingdontoo。’
`Iwon’thearthem，Rachel；theytelllies。’
