Thentherewasasendingofnotesbetweenthesick-roomandthesickman’ssister’sroom。EverettwroteandFerdinandwrote，andEmilywrote，——shortlineseachofthem，——afewwordsscrawled。
ThelastfromEmilywasasfollows：——’Lethimgointothedrawing-room。EW。’AndsoFerdinandwentdowntomeethislove，——toencounterherforthefirsttimeasherrecognizedfuturehusbandandengagedlover。Passionate，declared，andthoroughaswasherloveforthisman，thefamiliarintercoursebetweenthemhadhithertobeenverylimited。Therehadbeenlittle，——wemayperhapssaynone，——ofthatdalliancebetweenthemwhichissodelightfultothemanandsowondroustothegirltillcustomstaledtheedgeofit。Hehadneversatwithherarmaroundherwaist。Hehadrarelyheldevenherhandinhisforahappyrecognizedpauseofafewseconds。Hehadneverkissedevenherbrow。Andthereshewasnow，standingbeforehim，allhisown，absolutelygiventohim，withthefullestassuranceofloveonherpart，andwiththedeclaredconsentofherfather。Evenhehadbeenalittleconfusedasheopenedthedoor，——evenhe，ashepausedtocloseitbehindhim，hadtothinkhowhewouldaddressher，andperhapshadthoughtinvain。Buthehadnotamomentforanythoughtafterenteringtheroom。Whetheritwashisdoingorhershehardlyknew，butshewasinhisarms，andherlipswerepressedtohis，andhisarmswastightaroundherwaist，holdingherclosetohisbreast。Itseemedasthoughallthatwaswantinghadbeenunderstoodinamoment，andasthoughtheyhadlivedtogetherandlovedforthelasttwelvemonths，withthefullestmutualconfidence。Andshewasthefirsttospeak——
’Ferdinand，Iamsohappy！Areyouhappy？’
’Mylove，mydarling！’
’Youhaveneverdoubtedme，Iknow，——sinceyoufirstknewit。’