CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
[BOOK VI. SIDNEY'S FRIENDS.]
[CHAPTER I. Mattie's Choice]
[CHAPTER II. Mattie's Adviser]
[CHAPTER III. The Old Lovers]
[CHAPTER IV. A New Decision]
[CHAPTER V. Ann Packet expresses an opinion]
[CHAPTER VI. Mr. Gray's Scheme]
[BOOK VII. SIDNEY'S GRATITUDE.]
[CHAPTER I. Maurice Hinchford in search of his Cousin]
[CHAPTER II. Maurice receives plenty of Advice]
[CHAPTER III. A Declaration]
[CHAPTER IV. More talk of Marriage and Giving in Marriage]
[CHAPTER V. Mattie's Answer]
[BOOK VIII. MORE LIGHT.]
[CHAPTER I. A New Hope]
[CHAPTER II. Mattie is taken into Confidence]
[CHAPTER III. Half the Truth]
[CHAPTER IV. All the Truth]
[CHAPTER V. Struggling]
[CHAPTER VI. Signs of Change]
[CHAPTER VII. Returned]
[CHAPTER VIII. Declined with Thanks]
[CHAPTER IX. Mattie, Mediatrix]
[CHAPTER X. Conclusion]
[MESSRS. HURST AND BLACKETT'S LIST OF NEW WORKS]
[THE NEW AND POPULAR NOVELS, PUBLISHED BY HURST & BLACKETT.]
BOOK VI.
SIDNEY'S FRIENDS.
CHAPTER I.
MATTIE'S CHOICE.
There are epochs in some lives when the heart cracks or hardens. When humanity, wrung to its utmost, gives way, or ossifies. Both are dangerous crises, and require more than ordinary care; the physician must be skilful and understand human nature, or his efforts at cure will only kill the patient who submits to his remedies.
Man—we speak literally of the masculine gender at this point—though born unto trouble, finds it hard to support in a philosophical way. A great trouble that in nine cases out of ten shows woman at her best, transforms man to his worst; if he be a man of the world, worldly, he is dumbfounded by the calamity which has fallen upon him. It is incomprehensible why he should suffer—he of all men—and he wraps himself in his egotism—his wounded self-love—and thinks of the injustice and hardness that have shut him out from his labours.