Chapter 1 Part 2

November 10th.

Finding that she was composed and liked herself this morning, I returned to the painful subject

of yesterday, for the sole purpose of imploring her to let me speak to Sir Percival and Mr.

Fairly, more plainly and strongly, than she could speak to either of them herself,

about this lamentable marriage.

She interposed gently but firmly in the middle of my remonstrances.

I left yesterday to decide, she said, and yesterday has decided.

It is too late to go back.

Sir Percival spoke to me this afternoon about what had passed in Laura's room.

He assured me that the unparalleled trust she had placed in him had awakened such an answering

conviction of her innocence and integrity in his mind, that he was guiltless of having felt

even a moment's unworthy jealousy, either at the time when he was in her presence, or afterwards

when he had withdrawn from it.

Deeply as he lamented the unfortunate attachment which had hindered the progress he might otherwise

have made in her esteem in regard, he firmly believed that it had remained unacknowledged

in the past, and that it would remain under all changes of circumstance which it was possible

to contemplate, unacknowledged, in the future.

This was his absolute conviction, and the strongest proof he could give of it was the assurance

which he now offered that he felt no curiosity to know whether the attachment was of recent

date or not, or who had been the object of it.

His implicit confidence in Miss Fairly made him satisfied with what she had thought fit

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