I look upon him as disgraced for ever.' She then endeavoured to persuade him to see Gertrude, or at any rate to send his love to her.

But in this also he was obdurate.
'It could,' he said, 'do no good.' He could not answer for himself that his feelings would not betray him.

A message would be of no use; if true, it would not be gracious; if false, it had better be avoided.

He was quite sure Gertrude would be indifferent as to any message from him.

The best thing for them both would be that they should forget each other.
He promised, however, that he would go down to Hampton immediately after the marriage, and he sent his kindest love to Linda and Katie.