Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/270

260 such message through Mr. Lawrence was now completely out of the question.

But what should I do? I would wait, and see if she would notice me—which of course she would not, unless by some kind message intrusted to her brother, that, in all probability, he would not deliver, and then—dreadful thought!—she would think me cooled and changed for not returning it—or perhaps, he had already given her to understand that I had ceased to think of her! I would wait, however, till the six months after our parting were fairly passed (which would be about the close of February), and then I would send her a letter modestly reminding her of her former permission to write to her at the close of that period, and hoping I might avail myself of it, at least to express my heart-felt sorrow for her late afflictions, my just appreciation of her generous conduct, and my hope that her health was now completely re-established, and that she would, some time, be permitted to enjoy those blessings of a