I knew that papa was in many ways very
closely connected with that establishment.

Papa was as one stunned. I felt this calamity
very deeply: scarcely on my own account
but on his, for I had begun to hate great
riches which had separated me so long from
Ernest. Yet I had dear thoughts of all I
could now do to comfort papa—to show how
sensible I was of his solicitude for my
welfare, mistaken though it was; that it was
only my love for Ernest, feeling that I was
his wife in God's sight, which had caused me
to oppose his wishes. Then I told him all
about Ernest's fortune, which, to my
astonishment, I found Mr. Pearson had omitted
to do; but I supposed that papa was too
concerned about the bank to allow of his doing
so. I tried to my utmost to comfort him, he
still leaning forward in his arm-chair, his
head buried in his hands. I said I knew
that he and Ernest would be friends for my
sake, and that we should be all so happy.

He answered me at last, in a thick voice,
"There, Fanny, go and tell your lover that I
am ruined—bankrupt. Leave me now, I want
to collect my thoughts—worse, worse than
that."

What " worse " meant, I could not divine,
but the way in which the words were uttered
made me tremble; and, as I left the room, he
called to me " not to let Dr. Roberts see him
—the gout was all well—he was too engaged;
he must not see Dr. Roberts."

I wanted to confide all this sad affair to
Ernest, and I expected to find him in the
drawing-room.

Mr. Pearson was alone in the drawing-room.

I asked him if he knew where Ernest was?
He answered me evasively, and began immediately
to talk in a tone of commiseration
about papa's affairs. I considered this
impertinent, and expressed my opinion on the
point. He begged my pardon, and said that
he felt sadly embarrassed, but duty towards
his client compelled him to address me on a
subject of deep importance; indeed, Ernest
had deputed him to do so. I felt greatly
surprised that Ernest should have authorised
another to communicate with me. I would
have sought Ernest, and prayed him to tell
me with his own lips whatever I ought to
know, but my feet were fixed to the spot, and
Mr. Pearson seemed to possess a strange
influence over me. He made me sit down,
and then, with hideously precise language,
lengthened out my agony—I besought him
to speak the worst at once, but he would
persist in his slow measured tone and long
explanations—he told me that our match
was to be broken off.

I could not believe what he said. I bade
him speak again, and he repeated what he
had said with terrible emphasis.

Oh, Clara, you can never understand what
I felt! this love of ours which, alone of all
tilings on earth had seemed founded on a
rock, which I had clung to with desperation
—I cannot dwell on it, I must hurry on.

I muttered Ernest's words;" nothing on
earth can divide us now." " My father may
be bankrupt—ruined—but Ernest must be
true." I turned indignantly on Mr. Pearson,
and told him he spoke falsely.

Mr. Pearson was perfectly unmoved by my
angry words; his countenance never changed;
he bent his head towards mine; I shuddered
as I felt his breath at my ear, and then he
whispered one terrible word. I cannot write
that word, Clara; a sharp pang shot through
my heart: I shrieked, and fell back in my
chair. Ernest was at my feet. " Oh!
Ernest," I said, " tell me very quickly that
this is not true."

He kept his face as much as possible
averted from me, and spoke with great
difficulty. " Alas, Fanny! Pearson has told us
this dreadful secret, this terrible bar to our
union!"

I could hear no more. I cried " Ernest!
save papa! " There was a horrible vision,
swimming before my eyes; papa disgraced
irretrievably before the world—dragged from
home—tried in a court of justice! I still
cried, " Oh, Ernest, in mercy save papa, if
you forsake me! " It seems that I fainted;
when I recovered, I thought I was addressing
Ernest, but it was dear Dr. Roberts who stood
beside me.

Dr. Roberts had been such a true friend to
me—a father could not have been kinder—
that his coming at such a moment seemed a
mercy from Heaven. My first impulse was
to tell him everything and beg his advice,
but then I recollected that papa had said
that he must not see Dr. Roberts; and, at
that moment, the terrible reason of those
words darted into my mind. I knew that
papa had been intrusted with the investment
of the greater portion of Dr. Roberts's
property. I could not utter a word.

Everyone has heard of Dr. Roberts's
reputation; few know how truly excellent a man
he is. He spoke to me so wisely and kindly,
praying I might have strength to support the
bitter trial. Oh, Clara! it was so sad! I
would gladly have followed his prayer, word
by word: but I could only pray silently that
this dear friend might, on his own part, be
blessed with that strength to bear misfortune
which he was invoking on my behalf.

And then he told me about Ernest. Whilst
I was insensible, it appeared that Dr. Roberts
had called upon papa, in consequence of my
note of the morning. The servant told him
that I had fainted; he came directly to see
me, and gave the necessary directions for my
recovery. Mr. Pearson then took him aside,
and confessed, with great show of contrition,
that he had, with culpable weakness, withheld
from Ernest a secret intrusted to his,
Pearson's, father, by Ernest's father, Colonel
Bradby, who was, as you know, an Indian
officer. Ernest had been sent from India for