If this was the case, and if she should only discover her mistake when too late to repair it--to what a life of misery and vain regret might she be doomed as well as me; and what remorse for me to think my foolish scruples had induced it all! Oh, I must see her--she must know my truth even if I told it at the church door! I might pass for a madman or an impertinent fool--even she might be offended at such an interruption, or at least might tell me it was now too late.

But if I could save her, if she might be mine!--it was too rapturous a thought! Winged by this hope, and goaded by these fears, I hurried homewards to prepare for my departure on the morrow.

I told my mother that urgent business which admitted no delay, but which I could not then explain, called me away.
My deep anxiety and serious preoccupation could not be concealed from her maternal eyes; and I had much ado to calm her apprehensions of some disastrous mystery.
That night there came a heavy fall of snow, which so retarded the progress of the coaches on the following day that I was almost driven to distraction.

I travelled all night, of course, for this was Wednesday: to-morrow morning, doubtless, the marriage would take place.

But the night was long and dark: the snow heavily clogged the wheels and balled the horses' feet; the animals were consumedly lazy; the coachman most execrably cautious; the passengers confoundedly apathetic in their supine indifference to the rate of our progression.