Honour bids my dissolution of our engagement,
and I await your answer, though nothing can ever make me other than
"Your wholly devoted,
"ALLEN."
Mrs. Evelyn had been prepared by a letter from her friend for what
was now taking place; Mr. Wakefield had likewise known the main
purport of Allen's note, and had allowed that Mr. Brownlow could not
as a gentleman do otherwise than release the young lady; though he
fully believed that it would be only as a matter of form, and that
Elvira would not hear of breaking off. He had in fact spent much
eloquence in persuading Mrs. Brownlow to continue to take the charge
of the heiress during the three years before her majority. Begun in
generous affection by Allen long ago, the engagement seemed to the
lawyer, as well as to others, an almost providential means of at
least partial restitution.
He had meant Elvira to read her letter alone, but she had opened it
before the two ladies, and her first exclamation was a startled,
incredulous—-
"Ha! What's this? He says our engagement is dissolved."
"He is of course bound to set you free, my dear," said Mrs. Evelyn,
"but it only depends on yourself."
"Oh! and I shall tease him well first," cried Elvira, her face
lighting up with fun and mischief.
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