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Firstly, he disliked whatever set up scenes--hysterics, attitudes, and the like--upon

trivial provocation, He wanted to get the thing over quietly and

soon

Secondly, he was not very sure that he should find in Mabel the

docile puppet she had appeared to hie

She hadhim

that afternoon impressed him by its self-possession and freedom from

the eush froreeting at his approach For aught he knew to

the contrary, she ht have accepted his fiat as just, if not

merciful, and not a drearave tranquillity of her de

influences of the mortification she had sustained, and a

consciousness of ill-desert that bred humility He would fain have

believed all this, but until he broached the subject to her, his

incertitude could not be removed, and in a step so momentous as that

which he round beneath hieley hether he

confessed it or not, acting under orders

"Be very tolerant with that poor little deceived sister of yours!"

his fiancee had i damps of commiseration "Recollect that the