t being kept here in this chair."

"You must be of an uncommonly impatient turn of mind," she said, "for
you haven't been here three hours, altogether, and hundreds of persons
sit still that long, just because they want to."

"I don't want to sit still a minute," said Lawrence. "I very much wish
to speak to Miss March. Couldn't you contrive an opportunity for me to
do so?"

"It is possible that I might," she said, "but I won't. Haven't I told
you that I don't approve of this affair of yours? My cousin is in love
with Miss March, and all I should do for you would be directly against
him. Aunt so managed things this morning that I was actually obliged to
give you an opportunity to be with her, but I had intended going with
Roberta to the woods, as she had asked me to do."

"You are very cruel," said Lawrence.

"No, I am not," said she, "I am only just." "I explained to you
yesterday," said he, "that your course of thinking and acting is not
just, and is of no possible advantage to anybody. How can it injure your
cousin if Miss March refuses me and I go away and never see her again?
And, if she accepts me, then you should be glad that I had put an end to
your cousin's pursuit of a woman who does not love him."

"That is nonsense," said she. "I shouldn't be glad at all to see him
disappointed. I should feel like a traitor if I helped you. But I did
not come to talk about these things. I came to ask you what you would
have for dinner."

"I had an idea," said Lawrence, not regarding this remark, "that you
were a young lady of a kindly disposition."

"And you don't think so, now?" she said.

"No," answered Lawrence, "I cannot. I cannot think a woman kind who will
refuse to assist a man, situated as I am, to settle the most important
question of his life, especially as I have told you, before, that it is
really to the interest of the one you are acting for, that it should be
settled."

Miss Annie, still standing in front of the door, now regarded Lawrence
with a certain degree of thoughtfullness on her countenance, which
presently changed to a half smile. "If I were perfectly sure," she said,
"that she would reject you, I would try to get her here, and have the
matter settled, but I don't know her very well yet, and can't feel at
all certain as to what she might do."

"I like your frankness," said Lawrence, "but, as I said before, you are
very cruel."

"Not at all," said she, "I am very kind, only--"

"You don'