He spent another half-hour in looking at the
paper, and was at last nearly deterred by this new difficulty. He
would use the simplest, plainest language, he said to himself over
and over again; but it is not always easy to use simple, plain
language,--by no means so easy as to mount on stilts, and to march
along with sesquipodalian words, with pathos, spasms, and notes of
interjection. But the letter did at last get itself written, and
there was not a note of interjection in it.
MY DEAR MISS DUNSTABLE,
I think it right to confess that I should not now be
writing this letter to you, had I not been led to believe
by other judgement than my own that the proposition which
I am going to make would be regarded by you with favour.
Without such other judgement I should, I own, have feared
that the great disparity between you and me in regard to
money would have given to such a proposition an appearance
of being false and mercenary. All I ask of you now, with
confidence, is to acquit me of such fault as that.
When you have read so far you will understand what I mean.
We have known each other now somewhat intimately, though
indeed not very long, and I have sometimes fancied that
you were almost as well pleased to be with me as I have
been to be with you.
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