'You forget, Mr. Morris, that I left Miss Ladd's school, in a manner which justified doubt of me in the minds of strangers.'
'Speaking as one of those strangers,' Alban replied, 'I cannot feel that I had any right to form an opinion, on a matter which only concerned Miss Ladd and yourself.'
Miss Jethro bowed gravely. 'You encourage me to hope,' she said. 'I think you will place a favorable construction on my visit when I mention my motive. I ask you to receive me, in the interests of Miss Emily Brown.'
Stating her purpose in calling on him in those plain terms, she added to the amazement which Alban already felt, by handing to him—as if she was presenting an introduction—a letter marked, 'Private,' addressed to her by Doctor Allday.
'I may tell you,' she premised, 'that I had no idea of troubling you, until Doctor Allday suggested it. I wrote to him in the first instance; and there is his reply. Pray read it.'
The letter was dated, 'Penzance'; and the doctor wrote, as he spoke, without ceremony.
'MADAM—Your letter has been forwarded to me. I am spending my autumn holiday in the far West of Cornwall. However, if I had been at home, it would have made no difference. I should have begged leave to decline holding any further conversation with you, on the subject of Miss Emily Brown, for the following reasons:
'In the first place, though I cannot doubt your sincere interest in the young lady's welfare, I don't like your mysterious way of showing it. In the second place, when I called at your address in London, after you had left my house, I found that you had taken to flight. I place my own interpretation on this circumstance; but as it is not founded on any knowledge of facts, I merely allude to it, and say no more.'
Arrived at that point, Alban offered to return the letter. 'Do you really mean me to go on reading it?' he asked.
'Yes,' she said quietly.
Alban returned to the letter.
'In the third place, I have good reason to believe that you entered Miss Ladd's school as a teacher, under false pretenses. After that discovery, I tell you plainly I hesitate to attach credit to any statement that you may wish to make. At the same time, I must not permit my prejudices (as you will probably call them) to stand in the way of Miss Emily's interests—supposing them to be really depending on any interference of yours. Miss Ladd's drawing- master, Mr. Alban Morris, is even more devoted to Miss Emily's service than I am. Whatever you might have said to me, you can say to him—with this possible advantage, that
There the letter ended. Alban handed it back in silence.
Miss Jethro pointed to the words, 'Mr. Alban Morris is even more devoted to Miss Emily's service than I am.'
'Is that true?' she asked.
'Quite true.'
'I don't complain, Mr. Morris, of the hard things said of me in that letter; you are at liberty to suppose, if you like, that I deserve them. Attribute it to pride, or attribute it to reluctance to make needless demands on your time—I shall not attempt to defend myself. I leave you to decide whether the woman who has shown you that letter—having something important to say to you—is a person who is mean enough to say it under false pretenses.'
'Tell me what I can do for you, Miss Jethro: and be assured, beforehand, that I don't doubt your sincerity.'
'My purpose in coming here,' she answered, 'is to induce you to use your influence over Miss Emily Brown —'
'With what object?' Alban asked, interrupting her.
'My object is her own good. Some years since, I happened to become acquainted with a person who has attained some celebrity as a preacher. You have perhaps heard of Mr. Miles Mirabel?'
'I have heard of him.'
'I have been in correspondence with him,' Miss Jethro proceeded. 'He tells me he has been introduced to a young lady, who was formerly one of Miss Ladd's pupils, and who is the daughter of Mr. Wyvil, of Monksmoor Park. He has called on Mr. Wyvil; and he has since received an invitation to stay at Mr. Wyvil's house. The day fixed for the visit is Monday, the fifth of next month.'
Alban listened—at a loss to know what interest he was supposed to have in being made acquainted with Mr. Mirabel's engagements. Miss Jethro's next words enlightened him.
'You are perhaps aware,' she resumed, 'that Miss Emily Brown is Miss Wyvil's intimate friend. She will be one of the guests at Monksmoor Park. If there are any obstacles which you can place in her way—if there is any influence which you can exert, without exciting suspicion of your motive—prevent her, I entreat you, from accepting Miss Wyvil's invitation, until Mr. Mirabel's visit has come to an end.'
'Is there anything against Mr. Mirabel?' he asked.
'I say nothing against him.'
'Is Miss Emily acquainted with him?'
'No.'
'Is he a person with whom it would be disagreeable to her to associate?'
'Quite the contrary.'
'And yet you expect me to prevent them from meeting! Be reasonable, Miss Jethro.'
'I can only be in earnest, Mr. Morris—more truly, more deeply in earnest than you can suppose. I declare to you that I am speaking in Miss Emily's interests. Do you still refuse to exert yourself for her sake?'
