Hence it became Alvan's offence if, owing to his absence, she could be charged with behaving badly.

Her generosity pardoned him his inexplicable delay to appear in his might: 'But see what your continued delay causes!' she said, and her tone was merely sorrowful.
She had forgotten her signature to the letter to the professor when his answer arrived.

The sight of the handwriting of one of her lover's faithfullest friends was like a peal of bells to her, and she tore the letter open, and began to blink and spell at a strange language, taking the frosty sentences piecemeal.

He begged her to be firm in her resolution, give up Alvan and obey her parents! This man of high intelligence and cultivation wrote like a provincial schoolmistress moralizing.

Though he knew the depth of her passion for Alvan, and had within the month received her lark-song of her betrothal, he, this man--if living man he could be thought--counselled her to endeavour to deserve the love and respect of her parents, alluded to Alvan's age and her better birth, approved her resolve to consult the wishes of her family, and in fine was as rank a traitor to friendship as any chronicled.