"Don"t talk any more of those days，sir," I interrupted，furtively dashing away some tears from my eyes; his language was torture to me; for I knew what I must do- and do soon- and these reminiscences，and these revelations of his feelings，only made my work more difficult.

"No，Jane," he returned: "what necessity is there to dwell on the past，when the present is so much surer- the Future so much brighter?"

I shuddered to hear the infatuated assertion.

"You see now how the case stands- do you not?" he continued. "After a youth and manhood passed half in unutterable misery and half in dreary solitude，I have for the first time found what I can truly love- I have found you. You are my sympathy- my better self- my good angel. I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good，gifted，lovely: a fervent，a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you，draws you to my centre and spring of life，wraps my existence about you，and，kindling in pure，powerful flame，fuses you and me in one.

"It was because I felt and knew this，that I resolved to marry you.