They filled her dreams all that night.

Never had she seen anything so lovely, and never was it more clear that as an honest woman she was in duty bound to refuse them.
Why it was not equally clear to her that duty required more vigorous co-ordinate conduct as well, let those who dissect her say.
The next morning glared in like a spectre upon her.

It was Stephen's letter-day, and she was bound to meet the postman--to stealthily do a deed she had never liked, to secure an end she now had ceased to desire.
But she went.
There were two letters.
One was from the bank at St.Launce's, in which she had a small private deposit--probably something about interest.

She put that in her pocket for a moment, and going indoors and upstairs to be safer from observation, tremblingly opened Stephen's.
What was this he said to her?
She was to go to the St.Launce's Bank and take a sum of money which they had received private advices to pay her.
The sum was two hundred pounds.
There was no check, order, or anything of the nature of guarantee.

In fact the information amounted to this: the money was now in the St.
Launce's Bank, standing in her name.
She instantly opened the other letter.