'But with your writings I continue to amuse my imagination.--Lovely is the flower of the nightshade, though its berry be poison. Still shall I admire and wonder at you as an author, though I avoid and detest you as a man. 'EDITHA MOWBRAY.' This letter was just finished when Sir Patrick arrived, and to him it was immediately shown. 'Heh! what have we here?' cried he laughing violently as he perused it. 'Here you talk of being pierced by shafts which were warded off. Now, had I said that, it would have been called a bull. As to the concluding paragraph--' 'O! that, I flatter myself,' said Mrs Mowbray, 'will tear him with remorse.' 'He must first understand it,' cried Sir Patrick: 'I can but just comprehend it, and am sure it will be all botheration to him.' 'I am sorry to find such is your opinion,' replied Mrs Mowbray; 'for I think that sentence the best written of any.' 'I did not say it was not fine writing,' replied the baronet, 'I only said it was not to be understood.--But, with your leave, you shall send the letter, and we'll drop the subject.' So said, so done, to the great satisfaction of Sir Patrick, who felt that it was for his interest to suffer the part of Mrs Mowbray's letter which alluded to Glenmurray's supposed calumnies against her to remain obscurely worded, as he well knew that what he had asserted on this subject was wholly void of foundation. Glenmurray did not receive it with equal satisfaction. He was indignant at the charge of having advised Adeline to become his mistress rather than his wife; and as so much of the concluding passage as he could understand seemed to imply that he had calumniated her mother, to remain silent a moment would have been to confess himself guilty: he therefore answered Mrs Mowbray's letter immediately. The answer was as follows:-- 'MADAM, 'To clear myself from the charge of having advised Miss Mowbray to a step contrary to the common customs, however erroneous, of society at this period, I appeal to the testimony of Miss Mowbray herself; and I here repeat to you the assurance which I made to her, that I am willing to marry her when and where she chooses. I love my system and my opinions, but the respectability of the woman of my affections _more_. Allow me, therefore, to make you a little acquainted with my situation in life: