He would, therefore, give her another chance, and resolved before he went to bed that night that he would allow a fortnight to pass away, and would then write to her, renewing his offer with all the strongest declarations of affection which he would be enabled to make.
Clara on her way home was not well satisfied with herself or with her position.

She had had great joy, during the few hours of joy which had been hers, in thinking of the comfort which her news would give to her father.

He would be released from all further trouble on her account by the tidings which she would convey to him,--by the tidings which she had intended to convey to him.

But now the story which she would have to tell would by no means be comfortable.

She would have to explain to him that her aunt had left no provision for her, and that would be the beginning and the end of her story.