Sandford and he
often stopped on one spot for a quarter of an hour, as if the interest
of the subject had so engaged them, they stood still without knowing it.
Lord Elmwood, who had joined the ladies, walked home with them;
Dorriforth entered soon after, in a much less gloomy humour than when he
went out, and told his relation, that he and the ladies would dine with
him the next day if he was disengaged; and it was agreed they should.

Still Dorriforth was in some perturbation, but the immediate cause was
concealed till the day following, when, about an hour before the
company's departure from the Castle, Miss Milner and Miss Woodley were
desired, by a servant, to walk into a separate apartment, in which they
found Mr. Dorriforth with Mr. Sandford waiting for them. Her guardian
made an apology to Miss Milner for the form, the ceremony, of which he
was going to make use; but he trusted, the extreme weight which
oppressed his mind, lest he should mistake the real sentiments of a
person whose happiness depended upon his correct knowledge of them,
would plead his excuse.

"I know, Miss Milner," continued he, "the world in general allows to
unmarried women great latitude in disguising their mind with respect to
the man they love. I too, am willing to pardon any little dissimulation
that is but consistent with a modesty that becomes every woman upon the
subject of marriage. But here, to what point I may limit, or you may
extend, this kind of venial deceit, may so widely differ, that it is not
impossible for me to remain unacquainted with your sentiments, even
after you have revealed them to me. Under this consideration, I wish
once more to hear your thoughts in regard to matrimony, and to hear them
before one of your own sex, that I may form an opinion by her
constructions."

To all this serious oration, Miss Milner made no other reply than by
turning to Mr. Sandford, and asking, "If he was the person of her own
sex, to whose judgment her guardian was to submit his own?"

"Madam," cried Sandford angrily, "you are come hither upon serious
business."

"Any business must be serious to me, Mr. Sandford, in which you are
concerned; and if you had called it _sorrowful_, the epithet would have
suited as well."

"Miss Milner," said her guardian, "I did not bring you here to contend
with Mr. Sandford."

"Then why, Sir, bring him hither? for where he and I are, there must be
contention."

"I brought him hither, Madam, or I