"'My heart'"--Sylvia continued to read--"'is filled with joy; but I will not take up all my letter to you with ecstatic rhapsodies; nor will I indulge myself by referring to her beauty, her charm, her Madonna-like face and sylph-like form. Her extraordinary affection for me (I speak with all humility)--tempered as it naturally was by the modesty of her age (she is barely seventeen)--was, I think, what first drew me towards her. We are to be married in May. You know that the sorrow of my life was that I had never been loved for myself. I have been called a successful man, but in my own heart I know that this is the only real success I have ever had during fifty-five years. It is certainly a great pleasure to think, as I do, that I shall be able to give my Gabrielle all (humanly speaking) that she can desire....'" "Will you stop laughing? You _must_ get through the preliminaries, Sylvia!" "It seems all preliminaries," murmured Sylvia. "'But, in my happiness, your troubles are not forgotten: and I hope now to be able to remove them in all essentials. "'First, let me ask you to remember me to Miss Sylvia, and to tell her that with the deepest respect I now formally relinquish all hopes of her hand.' "Very kind of him! He seems to claim some merit for not wanting to marry us both," Sylvia cried. "'No doubt you remember my telling you of a post, similar to that which I proposed for you in the bank at Athens, and that might be vacant soon, in London. Since, to please my bride, (who is devoted to her mother), I intend to make my home in Paris, I have made arrangements for you to take that post now, if you will. "'Shortly after this epistle a formal note will reach you, explaining all details. You will, I am sure, not refuse me the great pleasure of smoothing a little your path, under the present circumstances--since it is a very dear wish of mine to see you and Miss Sylvia happy. "'I foresee no obstacles now to your wishes. Explain to Sir James that I intend to be your best friend, and shall be able, no doubt, to be of great assistance to you if you adopt this career. "'At some future date I hope to present to you Mademoiselle de Beaugarde--and looking forward to your reply, I remain, "'My dear Woodville, "'Yours, with a thousand good wishes, "'G. RIDOKANAKI. "'P.S.--I should have written at greater length, but I am expecting Madame Beaugarde and her daughter, as I am to escort them to see some pictures. You will, therefore, grant me your indulgence for the bold, almost abrupt way in which I have conveyed to you my news. You will make excuses for the happy lover! She has an oval face, with a peach-like complexion. Her eyes resemble sapphires: her teeth are like pearls. Let me hear from you soon.'"