'Defer?' ardently repeated Harleigh. 'Ah! why not condescend to think, at least, another language, if not to speak it? Why not anticipate, in kind idea, at least, the happy period,--for me! when I may be permitted to consider as included, and mutual in our destinies, whatever hitherto--' 'Oh hold!--Oh Mr Harleigh!' interrupted Juliet, in a voice of anguish. 'Let no errour, no misconstruction, of this terrible sort,--no inference, no expectation, thus wide from all possible reality, add to my various misfortunes the misery of remorse!' 'Remorse?--Gracious powers! What can you mean?' 'That I have committed the most dreadful of mistakes,--a mistake that I ought never to forgive myself, if, in the relief from immediate perplexity, which I ventured to owe to a momentary, and, I own, an intentionally unacknowledged, usage of some of the notes which you forced into my possession, I have given rise to a belief,--to an idea,--to--' She hesitated, and blushed so violently, that she could not finish her phrase; but Harleigh appeared thunderstruck, and was wholly silent. She looked down, abashed, and added, 'The instant, by any possible means,--by work, by toil, by labour,--nothing will be too severe,--all will be light and easy,--that can rectify,--that--' She could not proceed; and Harleigh, somewhat recovered by the view of her confusion, gently, though reproachfully, said, 'All, then, will be preferable to the slightest, smallest trust in me?--And is this from abhorrence?--or do you deem me so ungenerous as to believe that I should take unworthy advantage of being permitted to offer you even the most trivial service?' 'No, no, oh, no!' with quickness cried Juliet; 'but the more generous you may be, the more readily you may imagine--' She stopt, at a loss how to finish. 'That you would be generous, too?' cried Harleigh, revived and smiling. She could not refrain from a smile herself, but hastily added, 'My conduct must be liable to no inference of any sort. Adieu, Sir. I will deliver you the packet in Miss Joddrel's room.' Her hand was upon the lock, but his foot, fixed firmly against the door, impeded its being opened, while he exclaimed, 'I cannot part with you thus! You must clear this terrific obscurity, that threatens to involve me, once more, in the horrours of excruciating suspense!--Why that cruel expression of displeasure? Can you think that the moment of hope,--however brief, however unintentional, however accidental,--can ever be obliterated from my thoughts? that my existence, to whatever term it may be lengthened, will ever out-live the precious remembrance that you have called me your destined protector?--your guardian angel?' He could add no more; a mortal paleness overspread the face of Juliet, who, letting go the lock of the door, sunk upon a chair, faintly ejaculating, 'Was I not yet sufficiently miserable?'