nt direction. She was
sorry that I refused you, and when I came to know you better I was very
sorry myself."

"When did you begin to soften to me?" asked Brandon.

"When you said Peggy had taught you so much--when you expressed
yourself so warmly and so truly about her."

"Had she not prejudiced you against me in the first place?" said
Brandon, hesitatingly.

"Yes, she had," said Elsie, with still greater hesitation.

"By something that she said of me? It was too true I deserved it; but
the lesson she taught me has never been forgotten. I do not say that I
deserve you, but I mean to try my best to deserve you. But was that
your only reason for refusing me?"

"No; I had several. I thought myself a very unfit wife for you, and
that you would be cruelly disappointed to get a low-spirited, sickly,
useless girl who did not love or esteem you. I really thought I was
dying, and it would have been wrong to have thought of marrying under
such circumstances; and besides, you could not have cared much about
me, or you would not have transferred your affection so easily to a
woman so very different in every way."

"Well, it does appear very inconsistent," said Brandon. "When my letter
is returned from England, you will see two pages of apologies, and
reasons why I was so foolish; but I really thought there was somebody
whom you liked better, until that very moment when I caught your eye
and your expression when I praised our excellent old friend. Your
glance at that time restored me to my allegiance; but the bad news of
my affairs next day put love and marriage out of my head, till I came
to part from you, and I felt how hard it was. But I am glad to see that
I have not seriously injured Miss Phillips by trifling with her
affections. She has met with her match at last. I never thought she
could have been so well suited."

"I really think they will get on very comfortably."

"How could I ever fancy that woman amiable?" said Brandon. "I thought
her really an exceedingly agreeable and clever woman in Derbyshire:
when I went out shopping with her on that memorable day, I saw spots on
the sun; and the day before yesterday, at Wiriwilta, she appeared to be
quite insufferable. I Cannot think enough of my own good luck; I might
have been her husband by this time instead of being your lover, which
is much pleasanter. What an insipid slow life it would have been,
though Grant, I dare say, looks forward to it with complacency. He