golden head, and had a very real power of afflicting him with
melancholy. He faltered in his studies, and once again had lost the
motive to exertion. Then came the letter from his mother, telling of
Adela's rumoured engagement. It caused him to set forth almost
immediately.

The alternation of moods exhibited in his conversation with Mr.
Wyvern continued to agitate him during the night. Now it seemed
impossible to approach Adela in any way; now he was prepared to defy
every consideration in order to save her and secure his own
happiness. Then, after dwelling for awhile on the difficulties of
his position, he tried to convince himself that once again he had
been led astray after beauty and goodness which existed only in his
imagination, that in losing Adela he only dismissed one more
illusion. Such comfort was unsubstantial; he was, in truth, consumed
in wretchedness at the thought that she once might easily have been
his, and that he had passed her by. What matter whether we love a
reality or a dream, if the love drive us to frenzy? Yet how could he
renew his relations with her? Even if no actual engagement bound
her, she must be prejudiced against him by stories which would make
it seem an insult if he addressed her. And if the engagement really
existed, what shadow of excuse had he for troubling her with his
love?

When he entered his mother's room in the morning, Mrs. Eldon took a
small volume from the table at her side.

'I found this a few weeks ago among the books you left with me,' she
said. 'How long have you had it, Hubert?'