His
pledge to Mrs. Milroy to consider their correspondence private
still bound him, disgracefully as she had abused it. And his
resolution was as immovable as ever to let no earthly
consideration tempt him into betraying Miss Gwilt. "I may have
behaved like a fool," he thought, "but I won't break my word;
and I won't be the means of turning that miserable woman adrift
in the world again."
He wrote to the major as artlessly and briefly as he had written
to the major's wife. He declared his unwillingness to cause a
friend and neighbor any disappointment, if he could possibly help
it. On this occasion he had no other choice. The questions the
major asked him were questions which he could not consent to
answer. He was not very clever at explaining himself, and he
hoped he might be excused for putting it in that way, and saying
no more.
Monday's post brought with it Major Milroy's rejoinder, and
closed the correspondence.
"The Cottage, Thorpe Ambrose, Sunday.
"SIR--Your refusal to answer my questions, unaccompanied as
it is by even the shadow of an excuse for such a proceeding,
can be interpreted but in one way. Besides being an implied
acknowledgment of the correctness of Mrs.
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