MALLARD,-- "It grieves me to be obliged to send you disquieting news so soon after your departure from Naples, but I think you will agree with me that I have no choice but to write of something that has this morning come to my knowledge.

You have no taste for roundabout phrases, so I will say at once in plain words that Cecily and Mr.Elgar have somehow contrived to fall in love with each other--or to imagine that they have done so, which, as regards results, unfortunately amounts to the same thing.

I cannot learn by what process it came about, but I am assured by Cecily, in words of becoming vagueness, that they plighted troth, or some thing of the kind, yesterday at Pompeii.

There was a party of four: Mr.and Mrs.Bradshaw, Cecily, and Mrs.Baske.At Pompeii they were unexpectedly (so I am told) joined by Mr.Elgar--notwithstanding that he had taken leave of us on Saturday, with the information that he was about to return to you at Amalfi, and there devote himself to literary work of some indefinite kind.

Perhaps you have in the meantime heard from him.