I supposed they were one and the same . You have all been careful not to undeceive me . ' '' ` You forget yourself , Mr. Starr , when you speak so to me , ' I retorted coldly . ` You have deceived yourself . We have never dreamed of allowing anyone to think that Eliza was an heiress . She is sweet and lovely enough to be loved for her own sake . ' `` I went back to the parlour full of dismay . Willis Starr remained gloomy and taciturn all the rest of the evening , but nobody seemed to notice it but myself . `` The next day we were all so busy that I almost forgot the incident of the previous evening . We girls were up in the sewing room putting the last touches to the wedding gown . Eliza tried it and her veil on and was standing so , in all her silken splendour , when a letter was brought in . I guessed by her blush who was the writer . I laughed and ran downstairs , leaving her to read it . `` When I returned she was still standing just where I had left her in the middle of the room , holding the letter in her hand . Her face was as white as her veil , and her wide-open eyes had a dazed , agonized look as of someone who had been stricken a mortal blow . All the soft happiness and sweetness had gone out of them . They were the eyes of an old woman , Amy . '' ` Eliza , what is the matter ? ' I said . ` Has anything happened to Willis ? '
`` She made no answer , but walked to the fireplace , dropped the letter in a bed of writhing blue flame and watched it burn XXXXX white ashes .
as by evening for in of on parlour that to