I left Mary, and hastened home to dress for dinner. I mentioned the subject of wishing to obtain Tom’s discharge to Mr Wharncliffe, who recommended my immediately applying to the Horse Guards; and, as he was acquainted with those in office, offered to accompany me. I gladly accepted his offer; and the next morning he called for me in his carriage, and we went there. Mr Wharncliffe sent up his card to one of the secretaries, and we were immediately up, when I stated my wishes. The reply was:— “If you had time to a substitute it would be easily arranged; but the is so weak, and the aversion to the West Indies so prevalent after this last very sickly season, that I doubt if His Royal Highness would permit any man to purchase his discharge. However, we will see. The Duke is one of the kindest-hearted of men, and I will lay the case before him. But let us see if he is still at the depôt; I rather think not.” The secretary rang the bell.  
“The detachment of the 47th Fusiliers from the depôt—has it marched? And when does it ?”
 
The clerk went out, and in a few minutes returned with some a papers in his hand. “It marched the day before yesterday, and was to embark this morning, and sail as soon as the wind was fair.”
 
My heart sank at this intelligence.
 
“How is the wind, Mr G—? Go down and look at the tell-tale.”
 
The clerk returned. “East North East, sir, and has been so these two days.”
 
“Then,” replied the secretary, “I am afraid you are too late to obtain your wish. The orders to the port-admiral are most to expedite the sailing of the transports, and a has been now three weeks waiting to them. Depend upon it, they have sailed to-day.”
 
“What can be done?” replied I, mournfully.
 
“You must apply for his discharge, and procure a substitute. He can then have an order sent out, and be permitted to return home. I am very sorry, as I perceive you are much interested; but I’m afraid it is too late now. However, you may call to-morrow. The weather is clear with this wind, and the port-admiral will telegraph to the Admiralty the sailing of the . Should anything detain them, I will take care that His Royal Highness shall be acquainted with the circumstances this afternoon, if possible, and will give you his reply.”
 
We thanked the secretary for his politeness, and took our leave. as I was with the communications I had already received, I was much more so when one of the porters ran to the carriage to show me, by the secretary’s order, a telegraphic communication from the Admiralty, containing the certain and unpleasant information, “Convoy to West Indies sailed this morning.”
 
“Then it is all over for the present,” said I, throwing myself back in the carriage; and I continued in a humour until Mr Wharncliffe, who had business in the city, put me down as near as the carriage went to the house of Mr Drummond. I found Sarah, who was the depository of all my thoughts, pains, and pleasures, and I communicated to her this episode in the history of young Tom. As most ladies are severe judges of their own sex, she was very strong in her expressions against the conduct of Mary, which she would not allow to admit of any palliation. Even her had no weight with her.
 
“And yet, how often is it the case, Sarah, not perhaps to the extent carried on by this mistaken girl; but still, the disappointment is as great, although the consequences are not so . Among the higher classes, how often do young men receive encouragement, and yield themselves up to a passion, to end only in disappointment! It is not necessary to troth; a young woman may not have virtually committed herself, and yet, by merely appearing pleased with the conversation and company of a young man, induce him to venture his affections in a sea, and eventually find them .”
 
“You are very , Jacob,” replied Sarah. “Such things do happen; but I think that women’s affections are, to use your phrase, oftener wrecked than those of men. That, however, does not either party. A woman must be blind, indeed, if she cannot perceive, in a very short time, whether she is with a man’s feelings, and base, indeed, if she continues to practise upon them.”
 
“Sarah,” replied I, and I stopped.
 
“Well?”
 
“I was,” replied I, a little—“I was going to ask you if you were blind.”
 
“As to what, Jacob?” said Sarah, colouring up.
 
“As to my feelings towards you.”
 
“No; I believe you like me very well,” replied she, smiling.
 
“Do you think that that is all?”
 
“Where do you dine to-day, Jacob,” replied Sarah.
 
“That must depend upon you and your answer. If I dine here to-day, I trust to dine here often. If I do not dine here to-day, probably I never may again. I wish to know, Sarah, whether you have been blind to my feelings towards you; for, with the case of Mary and Tom before me, I feel that I must no longer trust to my own hopes, which may end in disappointment. Will you have the kindness to put me out of my ?”
 
“If I have been blind to your feelings I have not been blind to your merit, Jacob. Perhaps I have not been blind to your feelings, and I am not of the same as Mary Stapleton. I think you may venture to dine here to-day,” continued she, colouring and smiling, as she turned away to the window.
 
“I can hardly believe that I’m to be so happy, Sarah,” replied I, . “I have been fortunate, very fortunate; but the hopes you have now raised are so much beyond my expectations—so much beyond my deserts—that I dare not indulge in them. Have pity on me, and be more .”
 
“What do you wish me to say?” replied Sarah, looking down upon her work, as she turned round to me.
 
“That you will not reject the who was fostered by your father, and who reminds you of what he was, that you may not forget at this moment what I trust is the greatest bar to his presumption—his origin.”
 
“Jacob, that was said like yourself—it was nobly said; and if you were not born noble, you have true nobility of mind. I will imitate your example. Have I not often, during our long friendship, told you that I loved you?”
 
“Yes, as a child you did, Sarah.”
 
“Then, as a woman, I repeat it. And now are you satisfied?”
 
I took Sarah by the hand; she did not withdraw it, but allowed me to kiss it over and over again.
 
“But your father and mother, Sarah?”
 
“Would never have allowed our if they had not approved of it, Jacob, depend upon it. However, you may make yourself easy on that score by letting them know what has passed; and then, I presume, you will be out of your misery.”
 
Before the day was over I had spoken to Mrs Drummond, and requested her to open the business to her husband, as I really felt it more than I could dare to do. She smiled as her daughter hung upon her neck; and when I met Mr Drummond at dinner-time I was “out of my misery,” for he shook me by the hand, and said, “You have made us all very............