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in them evidently than I had discovered。 I kept my manuscript
copyhere it is：
From Miss Elizabeth Chance to the Rev。 Abel Gracedieu。
（Date of year； 1859。 Date of month； missing。）
〃DEAR SIRYou have； I hope； not quite forgotten the interesting
conversation that we had last year in the Governor's rooms。 I am
afraid I spoke a little flippantly at the time； but I am sure you
will believe me when I say that this was out of no want of
respect to yourself。 My pecuniary position being far from
prosperous； I am endeavoring to obtain the vacant situation of
housekeeper in a public institution the prospectus of which I
inclose。 You will see it is a rule of the place that a candidate
must be a single woman （which I am）； and must be recommended by a
clergyman。 You are the only reverend gentleman whom it is my good
fortune to know； and the thing is of course a mere formality。
Pray excuse this application； and oblige me by acting as my
reference。
〃Sincerely yours；
〃ELIZABETH CHANCE。〃
〃P。 S。Please address： Miss E。 Chance； Poste Restante； St。
Martin's…le…Grand； London。〃
〃From the Rev。 Abel Gracedieu to Miss Chance。
（Copy。）
〃MADAMThe brief conversation to which your letter alludes； took
place at an accidental meeting between us。 I then saw you for the
first time； and I have not seen you since。 It is impossible for
me to assert the claim of a perfect stranger； like yourself； to
fill a situation of trust。 I must beg to decline acting as your
reference。
〃Your obedient servant；
〃ABEL GRACEDIEU。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
My father was still at the window。
In that idle position he could hardly complain of me for
interrupting him； if I ventured to talk about the letters which I
had put together。 If my curiosity displeased him； he had only to
say so； and there would be an end to any allusions of mine to the
subject。 My first idea was to join him at the window。 On
reflection； and still perceiving that he kept his back turned on
me； I thought it might be more prudent to remain at the table。
〃This Miss Chance seems to be an impudent person？〃 I said。
〃Yes。〃
〃Was she a young woman； when you met with her？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What sort of a woman to look at？ Ugly？〃
〃No。〃
Here were three answers which Eunice herself would have been
quick enough to interpret as three warnings to say no more。 I
felt a little hurt by his keeping his back turned on me。 At the
same time； and naturally； I think； I found my interest in Miss
Chance （I don't say my friendly interest） considerably increased
by my father's unusually rude behavior。 I was also animated by an
irresistible desire to make him turn round and look at me。
〃Miss Chance's letter was written many years ago；〃 I resumed。 〃I
wonder what has become of her since she wrote to you。〃
〃I know nothing about her。〃
〃Not even whether she is alive or dead？〃
〃Not even that。 What do these questions mean； Helena？〃
〃Nothing； father。〃
I declare he looked as if he suspected me！
〃Why don't you speak out？〃 he said。 〃Have I ever taught you to
conceal your thoughts？ Have I ever been a hard father； who
discouraged you when you wished to confide in him？ What are you
thinking about？ Do _you_ know anything of this woman？〃
〃Oh； father； what a question！ I never even heard of her till I
put the torn letters together。 I begin to wish you had not asked
me to do it。〃
〃So do I。 It never struck me that you would feel such
extraordinaryI had almost said； such vulgarcuriosity about a
worthless letter。〃
This roused my temper。 When a young lady is told that she is
vulgar； if she has any self…conceitI mean self…respectshe
feels insulted。 I said something sharp in my turn。 It was in the
way of argument。 I do not know how it may be with other young
persons； I never reason so well myself as when I am angry。
〃You call it a worthless letter；〃 I said； 〃and yet you think it
worth preserving。〃
〃Have you nothing more to say to me than that？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing more；〃 I answered。
He changed again。 After having looked unaccountably angry； he now
looked unaccountably relieved。
〃I will soon satisfy you；〃 he said； 〃that I have a good reason
for preserving a worthless letter。 Miss Chance； my dear； is not a
woman to be trusted。 If she saw her advantage in making a bad use
of my reply； I am afraid she would not hesitate to do it。 Even if
she is no longer living； I don't know into what vile hands my
letter may not have fallen； or how it might be falsified for some
wicked purpose。 Do you see now how a correspondence may become
accidentally important； though it is of no value in itself？〃
I could say 〃Yes〃 to this with a safe conscience。
But there were some perplexities still left in my mind。 It seemed
strange that Miss Chance should （apparently） have submitted to
the severity of my father's reply。 〃I should have thought；〃 I
said to him； 〃that she would have sent you another impudent
letteror perhaps have insisted on seeing you； and using her
tongue instead of her pen。〃
〃She could do neither the one nor the other； Helena。 Miss Chance
will never find out my address again； I have taken good care of
that。〃
He spoke in a loud voice； with a flushed faceas if it was quite
a triumph to have prevented this woman from discovering his
address。 What reason could he have for being so anxious to keep
her away from him？ Could I venture to conclude that there was a
mystery in the life of a man so blameless； so truly pious？ It
shocked one even to think of it。
There was a silence between us； to which the housemaid offered a
welcome interruption。 Dinner was ready。
He kissed me before we left the room。 〃One word more； Helena；〃 he
said； 〃and I have done。 Let there be no more talk between us
about Elizabeth Chance。〃
CHAPTER XVIL
HELENA'S DIARY。
MISS JILLGALL joined us at the dinner…table； in a state of
excitement； carrying a book in her hand。
I am inclined； on reflection； to suspect that she is quite clever
enough to have discovered that I hate herand that many of the
aggravating things she says and does are assumed； out of
retaliation； for the purpose of making me angry。 That ugly face
is a double face； or I am much mistaken。
To return to the dinner…table； Miss Jillgall addressed herself；
with an air of playful penitence； to my father。
〃Dear cousin； I hope I have not done wrong。 Helena left me all by
myself。 When I had finished darning the curtain； I really didn't
know what to do。 So I opened all the bedroom doors upstairs and
looked into the rooms。 In the big room with two bedsoh； I am so
ashamedI found this book。 Please look at the first page。〃
My father looked at the title…page： 〃Doctor Watts's Hymns。 Well；
Selina； what is there to be ashamed of in this？〃
〃Oh； no！ no！ It's the wrong page。 Do look at the other pagethe
one that comes first before that one。〃
My patient father turned to the blank page。
〃Ah；〃 he said quietly； 〃my other daughter's name is written in
itthe daughter whom you have not seen。 Well？〃
Miss Jillgall clasped her hands distractedly。 〃It's my ignorance
I'm so ashamed of。 Dear cousin； forgive me； enlighten me。 I don't
know how to pronounce your other da