That, perhaps, it was best for me; I had less to regret in sacrificing a friendship, feelings, hopes which must, at any rate, have been torn from me now.

And yet, that I must and would confess that, could I have restored her to what she had appeared to me before, I would infinitely prefer any increase of the pain of parting, for the sake of carrying with me the right of tenderness and esteem.

This is what I said, the purport of it; but, as you may imagine, not spoken so collectedly or methodically as I have repeated it to you.

She was astonished, exceedingly astonished--more than astonished.

I saw her change countenance.