again: difficulties are made for ladies to yield to, and for men to
conquer. Only for pity's sake do not you be my enemy; do not set her
against me for my father's fault. Think, if you can, how my heart bleeds
at closing this letter without one word to her I love better, a thousand
times better, than my life--I am, dear Mrs. Dodd, yours sorrowfully, but
not despairing,

"ALFRED HARDIE."


Mrs. Dodd kept this letter to herself. She could not read it quite
unmoved, and therefore she felt sure it would disturb her daughter's
heart the more.

Alfred had now a soft but dangerous antagonist in Mrs. Dodd. All the
mother was in arms to secure her daughter's happiness, _coute qu'il
coute!_ and the surest course seemed to be to detach her affections from
Alfred. What hope of a peaceful heart without this? and what real
happiness without peace? But, too wise and calm to interfere blindly, she
watched her daughter day and night, to find whether Love or Pride was the
stronger, and this is what she observed--

Julia never mentioned Alfred. She sought occupation eagerly: came oftener
than usual for money, saying, it was for "Luxury." She visited the poor
more constantly, taking one of the maids with her, at Mrs. Dodd's
request. She studied Logic with Edward. She went to bed rather early,
fatigued, it would appear, by her activity: and she gave the clue to her
own conduct one day: "Mamma," said she, nobody is downright unhappy who
is good."