.

Provocation.
About a month later, Rowland addressed to his cousin Cecilia a letter of which the following is a portion:-- ...

"So much for myself; yet I tell you but a tithe of my own story unless I let you know how matters stand with poor Hudson, for he gives me more to think about just now than anything else in the world.

I need a good deal of courage to begin this chapter.

You warned me, you know, and I made rather light of your warning.