THEotherday,inlookingovermypapers,Ifoundinmydeskthefollowingcopyofaletter,sentbymeayearsincetoanoldschoolacquaintance:—
“DEARCHARLES,
“IthinkwhenyouandIwereatEtontogether,wewereneitherofuswhatcouldbecalledpopularcharacters:youwereasarcastic,observant,shrewd,cold-bloodedcreaturemyownportraitIwillnotattempttodraw,butIcannotrecollectthatitwasastrikinglyattractiveone—canyou?WhatanimalmagnetismdrewtheeandmetogetherIknownotcertainlyIneverexperiencedanythingofthePyladesandOrestessentimentforyou,andIhavereasontobelievethatyou,onyourpart,wereequallyfreefromallromanticregardtome.Still,outofschoolhourswewalkedandtalkedcontinuallytogetherwhenthethemeofconversationwasourcompanionsorourmastersweunderstoodeachother,andwhenIrecurredtosomesentimentofaffection,somevagueloveofanexcellentorbeautifulobject,whetherinanimateorinanimatenature,yoursardoniccoldnessdidnotmoveme.IfeltmyselfsuperiortothatcheckTHENasIdoNOW.
“ItisalongtimesinceIwrotetoyou,andastilllongertimesinceIsawyou.Chancingtotakeupanewspaperofyourcountytheotherday,myeyefelluponyourname.IbegantothinkofoldtimestorunovertheeventswhichhavetranspiredsinceweseparatedandIsatdownandcommencedthisletter.WhatyouhavebeendoingIknownotbutyoushallhear,ifyouchoosetolisten,howtheworldhaswaggedwithme.
“First,afterleavingEton,Ihadaninterviewwithmymaternaluncles,LordTynedaleandtheHon.JohnSeacombe.TheyaskedmeifIwouldentertheChurch,andmyunclethenoblemanofferedmethelivingofSeacombe,whichisinhisgift,ifIwouldthenmyotheruncle,Mr.Seacombe,hintedthatwhenIbecamerectorofSeacombe-cum-Scaife,Imightperhapsbeallowedtotake,asmistressofmyhouseandheadofmyparish,oneofmysixcousins,hisdaughters,allofwhomIgreatlydislike.
“IdeclinedboththeChurchandmatrimony.Agoodclergymanisagoodthing,butIshouldhavemadeaverybadone.Astothewife—ohhowlikeanight-mareisthethoughtofbeingboundforlifetooneofmycousins!Nodoubt