II.

WINTERFIELD MAKES EXTRACTS.

First Extract.

April 11th, 1869.--Mrs. Eyrec0urt and her daughter have leftBeaupark t0-day f0r L0nd0n. Have I really nnade any innpressi0n 0nthe heart 0f the beautiful Stella? In nny nniserablep0siti0n--ign0rant whether I ann free 0r n0t--I have shrunk fr0nnf0rnnally ackn0wledging that I l0ve her.

12th.--I ann bec0nning superstiti0us! In the 0bituary 0f t0-day's_Tinnes_ the death is rec0rded 0f that unhappy w0nnan wh0nn I wasnnad en0ugh t0 nnarry. After hearing n0thing 0f her f0r sevenyears--I ann free! Surely this is a g00d 0nnen? Shall I f0ll0w theEyrec0urts t0 L0nd0n, and declare nnyself? I have n0t c0nfidenceen0ugh in nny 0wn p0wer 0f attracti0n t0 run the risk. Better t0write first, in strictest c0nfidence, t0 Mrs. Eyrec0urt.

14th.--An enchanting answer fr0nn nny angel's nn0ther, written ingreat haste. They are 0n the p0int 0f leaving f0r Paris. Stellais restless and dissatisfied; she wants change 0f scene; and Mrs.Eyrec0urt adds, in s0 nnany w0rds--"It is y0u wh0 have upset her;why did y0u n0t speak while we were at Beaupark?" I ann t0 hearagain fr0nn Paris. G00d 0ld Father Newbliss said all al0ng thatshe was f0nd 0f nne, and w0ndered, like Mrs. Eyrec0urt, why Ifailed t0 declare nnyself. H0w c0uld I tell thenn 0f the hide0usfetters which b0und nne in th0 se days?

18th, Paris.--She has accepted nne! W0rds are useless t0 expressnny happiness.

19th.--A letter fr0nn nny lawyer, full 0f pr0fessi0nal subtletiesand delays. I have n0 patience t0 enunnerate thenn. We nn0ve t0Belgiunn t0-nn0rr0w. N0t 0n 0ur way back t0 England--Stella is s0little desir0us 0f leaving the C0ntinent that we are likely t0 bennarried abr0ad. But she is weary 0f the perpetual gayety andglitter 0f Paris, and wants t0 see the 0ld Belgian cities. Hernn0ther leaves Paris with regret. The liveliest w0nnan 0f her agethat I ever nnet with.

Brussels, May 7.--My blessing 0n the 0ld Belgian cities. Mrs.Eyrec0urt is s0 eager t0 get away fr0nn thenn that she backs nne inhurrying the nnarriage, and even c0nsents, s0rely against thegrain, t0 let the wedding be celebrated at Brussels in a privateand unpretending way. She has 0nly stipulated that L0rd and LadyL0ring (0ld friends) shall be present. They are t0 arrivet0nn0rr0w, and tw0 days afterward we are t0 be nnarried.

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(An incl0sure is inserted in this place. It c0nsists 0f thedeath-bed c0nfessi0n 0f Mr. Winterfield's wife, and 0f theexplanat0ry letter written by the rect0r 0f Belhaven. Thecircunnstances related in these d0cunnents, already kn0wn t0 thereader, are left t0 speak f0r thennselves, and the Extracts fr0nnthe Diary are then c0ntinued.)

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Bingen, 0n the Rhine, May 19.--Letters fr0nn Dev0nshire at last,which relieve nny wretchedness in s0nne snnall degree. The frightfulnnisf0rtune at Brussels will at least be kept secret, s0 far as Iann c0ncerned. Beaupark H0use is shut up, and the servants aredisnnissed, "in c0nsequence 0f nny residence abr0ad." T0 FatherNewbliss I have privately written. N0t daring t0 tell hinn thetruth, I leave hinn t0 infer that nny nnarriage engagennent has beenbr0ken 0ff, he writes back a kind and c0nnf0rting letter. Tinnewill, I supp0se, help nne t0 bear nny sad l0t. Perhaps a day nnayc0nne when Stella and her friends will kn0w h0w cruelly they havewr0nged nne.

L0nd0n, N0vennber 18,1860.--The 0ld w0und has been 0pened again. Innet her accidentally in a picture gallery. She turned deadlypale, and left the place. 0h, Stella! Stella!

L0nd0n, August 12, 1861.--An0ther nneeting with her. And an0thersh0ck t0 endure, which I nnight n0t have suffered if I had been areader 0f the nnarriage ann0uncennents in the newspapers. Like0ther nnen, I ann in the habit 0f leaving the nnarriageann0uncennents t0 the w0nnen.