Excerpt from The Way We Live Now, Vol. 2 of 2
Paul Montague reached London on bis return from Suffolk early on the Monday morning, and on the following day he wrote to Mrs. Hurtle. As he sat in his lodgings, thinking of his condition, ho almost wished that he had taken Memotte's offer and gone to Mexico. Ho might at any rate have endeavoured to promote the railway earnestly, and then have abandoned it if he found the whole thing false. In such case of course ho would never have seen Hetta Carbary again; but, as things were, of what use to him was his love, - of what use to him or to her? The kind of life of which ho dreamed, such a life in England as was that of Roger Carbary, or, as such life would be, if Roger had a wife whom he loved, seemed to be far beyond his roach. Nobody was like Roger Carbury Would it not be well that he should go away, and, as he went, write to Hetta and bid her marry the best man that over lived in the world.
But the journey to Mexico was no longer open to him. He had repudiated the proposition and had quarrelled with Melmotte. It was necessary that he should immediately take some further step in regard to Mrs. Hurtle. Twice lately ho had gone to Islington determined that he would sec that lady for the last time. Then he had taken her to Lowestoffe, and had been equally firm in his resolution that he would there put an end to his present bonds. Now he had promised to go again to Islington; - and was aware that if he failed to keep his promise, she would come to him. In this way there would never be an and to it.
He would certainly go again, as ho had promised, - if she should still require it; but he would first try what a letter would do, - a plain unvarnished tale. Might it still be possible that a plain tale sent by post should have sufficient efficacy. This was his plain tale as he now told it.
"Mr Dear Mrs. Hurtle, -
"I promised that I would go to you again in Islington, and so I will, if you still require it. But I think that such a meeting can be of no service to either of us. What is to be gained ? I do not for a moment mean to justify my own conduct. It is not to be justified. When I met you on our journey hither from San Francisco, I was
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