He knew already that his grandmother and Lady Augustus hated each other, and said spiteful things not only behind each other's backs, but openly to each other's faces.

But now he had been told by the girl who was engaged to be his wife that she did not belong to him; and by his grandmother,--who stood to him in the place of his mother,--that she wished that this girl belonged to some one else! He was not quite sure that he did not wish it himself.

But, even were it to be so, and should there be reason for him to be gratified at the escape, still he did not relish the idea of taking the girl himself to the other man's house.

He wrote the letter, however, and dispatched it.

But even the writing of it was difficult and disagreeable.