'No fortune whatever, Sir!--not a penny!' repeated I, slowly, and fixing my eyes on his. He had the grace almost to blush.--'Be that as it may, I never told any falsehoods in consequence of that conversation, my Lord.--I might have said, if I had thought proper, that you deemed 5 or 6000l. a year a suitable portion for me, and meant to propose me to Miss Valmont.' 'Oh, Sir, if you mean to put your own construction on every unguarded disjointed expression a man drops in conversation, you may make something out of nothing, at any time.' 'True, Sir, the discourse was disjointed and unguarded enough; but the design was, I believe, perfectly regular.--I am sorry, truly sorry, the plan failed.--Has your lordship any further commands for me?' said I, rising. 'You are piqued, my Lord,' replied my father drawing the letter out of his pocket.--'I have cause enough to be irritated, I am sure. My character as a gentleman is at stake. Mr. Valmont here makes charges against me which I don't quite understand.' I held out my hand again for the letter, and he again drew it away. 'Nay, my Lord,' said I:--'But perhaps you would rather read it to me. The best information and advice in my power is altogether at your lordship's devotion; and, if it is secresy you require, I am dumb as the grave.' The Earl looked somewhat doubtful. At length he suffered me to take the letter. Now, Walter, read this letter, with attention. TO THE EARL OF ELSINGS My Lord, As I took you to be a man of honour, I fully relied on your word, and never for an instant supposed you could depart from the strict performance of the promise you gave with so much readiness and solemnity of concealing from all the world the real situation of Miss Valmont's circumstances till the time when I, her uncle, guardian, and her only surviving relation, should no longer deem such a concealment necessary. You knew, my Lord, I could have no sinister design in teaching Miss Valmont to believe herself dependent upon me. My well-known integrity forbids the possibility of such a surmise: and, my Lord, at once, in compliance alone with my own opinion of its propriety did I resign to you the entire care of her estate, reserving to myself the guardianship of her person and the direction of her education, to which cares the brother of her father had the most undoubted claim.