Satan had no sooner whispered this thought to Thurston's ear
than he conceived the design of spending the ensuing autumn in Paris--and
of making Marian his companion while there. Fired with this new idea and
this new hope, he sat down and wrote her a few lines--without address or
signature--as follows:
"Dearest, forgive all the past. I was mad and blind. I have a plan to
secure at once our happiness. Meet me in the Mossy dell this evening,
and let me explain it at your feet."
Having written this note, Thurston scarcely knew how to get it at once
into Marian's hands. To put it into the village post-office was to
expose it to the prying eyes of Miss Nancy Skamp. To send it to Old
Fields, by a messenger, was still more hazardous. To slip it into
Marian's own hand, he would have to wait the whole week until
Sunday--and then might not be able to do so unobserved.
Finally, after much thought, he determined, without admitting the elf
into his full confidence, to entrust the delivery of the note to
Jacquelina.
He therefore copied it into the smallest space, rolled it up tightly,
and took it with him when he went to Luckenough.
He spent the whole afternoon at the mansion house, without having an
opportunity to slip it into the hands of Jacquelina.
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