Lincoln, the unknown

56 • LINCOLN THE UNKNOWNTodd's brother-in-law. She too took up her residence in thespacious Edwards mansion. And when Lincoln called to seeMary, Matilda contrived to be very much in evidence. Shecouldn't speak French with a Parisian accent or dance theCircassian Circle, but she knew how to handle men, and Lincolngrew very fond of her. When she swept into the room, Lincolnwas so interested in watching her that he sometimes ceased tolisten to what Mary Todd was saying. That made Mary indignant.Once he took Mary to a ball; but he didn't care for dancing,so he let her dance with other men while he sat in a cornertalking to Matilda.Mary accused him of being in love with Matilda, and hedidn't deny it; she broke down and wept, and demanded thathe cease even looking at Matilda.What had once been a promising love-affair had now degeneratedinto a thing of strife and dissension and fault-finding.Lincoln now saw that he and Mary were opposites in everyway: in training, in background, in temperament, in tastes, inmental outlook. They irritated each other constantly, and Lincolnrealized that their engagement ought to be broken, thattheir marriage would be disastrous.Mary's sister and brother-in-law both arrived at a similarconclusion. They urged Mary to abandon all thought of marryingLincoln, warning her over and over that they were strikinglyunfit for each other, and that they could never be happy.But Mary refused to listen.Lincoln, after weeks of trying to screw up his courage to tellher the painful truth, came into Speed's store one night, walkedback to the fireplace, drew a letter out of his pocket, and askedSpeed to read it. Speed relates:The letter was addressed to Mary Todd, and in it hemade a plain statement of his feelings, telling her that hehad thought the matter over calmly and with great deliberation,and now felt that he did not love her sufficiently towarrant her in marrying him. This letter he desired meto deliver. Upon my declining to do so he threatened to intrustit to some other person's hand. I reminded him thatthe moment he placed the letter in Miss Todd's hand, shewould have the advantage over him. "Words are forgotten,"I said, "misunderstood, unnoticed in a private conversation,but once put your words in writing and they