you and he came up, that a few lessons from the
drill-sergeant at Blickley would do him no harm. Perhaps, however, your
sister will teach him to hold up his head better. I rather think he is
a little scared with the rooks, is not he? What in the world is your
sister to do with him, now she has got him here?"

"I hope little Anna will lend him her cup and ball on rainy days."

"Do you find him a simpleton?"

"I hardly know. One must see him more than once to be quite sure. But
enough of him for the present. I have just come from the corner-house;
but I am not going to talk about the Hopes either: and yet I have
something out of the common way to say to you, my good friend."

"I am glad you call me by that name," observed Mr Grey, kindly. "I
never could see, for the life of me, why men should look askance upon
one another, because their relations, (no matter on which side, or
perhaps on both), happen to be more or less in the wrong."

"And there are other reasons why you and I should beware of being
affected by the faults and weaknesses of our connections, Mr Grey,--and
that is what I have now to say. I mean, because we may become connected
ourselves. How will you like me for a relation, I wonder."

"It is so, then?"

"It is so: and it is by Margaret's desire that I inform you of it now,
before the circumstance becomes generally known. If you think Mrs Grey
will be gratified by early information, I believe I must beg that you
will go home and tell her directly. We are as fully aware as you can
be, of the absurdity of this way of talking: but circumstances compel us
to--"

"I know, I understand. People here have been persuaded that you were
engaged to some other lady; and you will have no help in contradicting
this from your own family, who may not like your marrying into our
connection so decidedly--as I have heard the ladies say about our friend
Hope."

"Just so."

"Well, my opinion is, that it is of little consequence what your friends
may say now, when time is so sure to justify your choice. There is no
need for me to tell you that you are a happy man, Mr Enderby. There is
not a more amiable girl living than that cousin Margaret of mine. I
charge you to make her happy, Enderby. I do not mean that I have any
doubt of it: but I charge you to make her happy."

Philip did not like to speak (any more than to do other things) without
being pretty sure of doing it well. He was silent now because