Havill could bear it no longer; he got a light, went down into his office and wrote the note subjoined.
'MADAM,--The recent death of my wife necessitates a considerable change in my professional arrangements and plans with regard to the future.
One of the chief results of the change is, I regret to state, that I no longer find myself in a position to carry out the enlargement of the castle which you had so generously entrusted to my hands.
'I beg leave therefore to resign all further connection with the same, and to express, if you will allow me, a hope that the commission may be placed in the hands of the other competitor.

Herewith is returned a cheque for one-half of the sum so kindly advanced in anticipation of the commission I should receive; the other half, with which I had cleared off my immediate embarrassments before perceiving the necessity for this course, shall be returned to you as soon as some payments from other clients drop in .-- I beg to remain, Madam, your obedient servant, JAMES HAVILL.' Havill would not trust himself till the morning to post this letter.

He sealed it up, went out with it into the street, and walked through the sleeping town to the post-office.

At the mouth of the box he held the letter long.

By dropping it, he was dropping at least two thousand five hundred pounds which, however obtained, were now securely his.