I have striven to live that down, and I have succeeded.
But in my wildest dreams I never dreamed of such success
as this,--that the Duke of Omnium should think me the
worthiest of the worthy. You may be sure that I am not
ungrateful,--that I never will be ungrateful. And I trust
it will not derogate from your opinion of my worth, that
I have known what was due to your Grace's highness.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord Duke,
Your most obliged and faithful servant,
MARIE MAX GOESLER.
"How many unmarried women in England are there would do the same?"
she said to herself, as she folded the paper, and put it into an
envelope, and sealed the cover. The moment that the letter was
completed she sent it off, as she was directed to send it, so
that there might be no possibility of repentance and subsequent
hesitation. She had at last made up her mind, and she would stand
by the making. She knew that there would come moments in which she
would deeply regret the opportunity that she had lost,--the chance
of greatness that she had flung away from her. But so would she
have often regretted it, also, had she accepted the greatness. Her
position was one in which there must be regret, let her decision have
been what it might.
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