"Farewell"

A young man orphaned when his father, a clergyman, dies is forced into work as a shopman and recounts how a single act of kindness in London—returning a dropped purse to an elegant young woman—sets a chain of acquaintance and attraction in motion. Their growing intimacy unfolds through balls, music, and family company, with an aunt acting as chaperone and hints about the young woman's family wealth complicating impressions. The narrative moves between London and the Mediterranean resort where she stays, tracing the interplay of chance, social manners, and practical obstacles to courtship.