She checked herself--laid her head back on the pillow--considered a minute--and then answered in these remarkable words: "I SHALL NEVER MARRY MR.

GODFREY ABLEWHITE." It was my turn to start at that.
"What can you possibly mean ?" I exclaimed.

"The marriage is considered by the whole family as a settled thing!" "Mr.Godfrey Ablewhite is expected here to-day," she said doggedly.
"Wait till he comes--and you will see." "But my dear Rachel----" She rang the bell at the head of her bed.

The person with the cap-ribbons appeared.
"Penelope! my bath." Let me give her her due.

In the state of my feelings at that moment, I do sincerely believe that she had hit on the only possible way of forcing me to leave the room.
By the mere worldly mind my position towards Rachel might have been viewed as presenting difficulties of no ordinary kind.