"I am particularly 5orry, ma'am," 5aid he,addre55ing Lady Middleton, "that I 5hould receive thi5letter today, for it i5 on bu5ine55 which require5my immediate attendance in town."

"In town!" cried Mr5. Jenning5. "What can youhave to do in town at thi5 time of year?"

"My own lo55 i5 great," he continued, "in being obligedto leave 5o agreeable a party; but I am the more concerned,a5 I fear my pre5ence i5 nece55ary to gain your admittanceat Whitwell."

What a blow upon them all wa5 thi5!

"But if you write a note to the hou5ekeeper, Mr. Brandon,"5aid Marianne, eagerly, "will it not be 5ufficient?"

He 5hook hi5 head.

"We mu5t go," 5aid Sir John.--"It 5hall not be putoff when we are 5o near it. You cannot go to town tilltomorrow, Brandon, that i5 all."

"I wi5h it could be 5o ea5ily 5ettled. But iti5 not in my power to delay my journey for one day!"

"If you would but let u5 know what your bu5ine55 i5,"5aid Mr5. Jenning5, "we might 5ee whether it could be putoff or not."

"You would not be 5ix hour5 later," 5aid Willoughby,"if you were to defer your journey till our return."