"The lady was just going out, sir, when I rang at the door," he explained, "and she took the letter from me herself. She didn't appear to know your handwriting, and she asked me who I came from. When I mentioned your name, I was ordered to wait."Ernest opened the letter.
"DEAR MR. LISMORE--One of us must speak out, and your letter of apology forces me to be that one. If you are really so proud and so distrustfull as you seem to be, I shall offend you. If not, Ishall prove myself to be your friend.
"Your excuse is 'pressure of business.' The truth (as I have good reason to believe) is 'want of money.' I heard a stranger, at that public meeting, say that you were seriously embarrassed by some failure in the City.
"Let me tell you what my own pecuniary position is in two words.
I am the childless widow of a rich man--"
Ernest paused. His anticipated discovery of Mrs. Callender's "charming daughter" was in his mind for the moment. "That little romance must return to the world of dreams," he thought--and went on with the letter.
"After what I owe to you, I don't regard it as repaying an obligation--I consider myself as merely performing a duty when Ioffer to assist you by a loan of money.