t earn mine here."

"I have the feeling I spoke of very strongly about papa's place,"
said Clara, changing the conversation suddenly. "I very often think
of the future fate of Belton Castle when papa shall have gone. My
cousin has got his house at Plaistow, and I don't suppose he'd live
there."

"And where will you go?" he asked.

As soon as she had spoken, Clara regretted her own imprudence in
having ventured to speak upon her own affairs. She had been well
pleased to hear him talk of his plans, and had been quite resolved
not to talk of her own. But now, by her own speech, she had set him
to make inquiries as to her future life. She did not at first answer
the question; but he repeated it. "And where will you live yourself?"

"I hope I may not have to think of that for some time to come yet."

"It is impossible to help thinking of such things."

"I can assure you that I haven't thought about it; but I suppose I
shall endeavour to--to--; I don't know what I shall endeavour to do."

"Will you come and live at Perivale?"

"Why here more than anywhere else?"

"In this house I mean."

"That would suit me admirably;--would it not? I'm afraid Mr. Possitt
would not find me a good neighbour. To tell the truth, I think that
any lady who lives here alone ought to be older than I am. The
Perivalians would not show to a young woman that sort of respect
which they have always felt for this house."

"I didn't mean alone," said Captain Aylmer.

Then Clara got up and made some excuse for leaving him, and there was
nothing more said between them,--nothing, at least, of moment, on
that evening. She had become uneasy when he asked her whether she
would like to live in his house at Perivale. But afterwards, when he
suggested that she was to have some companion with her there, she
felt herself compelled to put an end to the conversation. And yet she
knew that this was always the way, both with him and with herself. He
would say things which would seem to promise that in another minute
he would be at her feet, and then he would go no further. And she,
when she heard those words,--though in truth she would have had him
at her feet if she could,--would draw away, and recede, and forbid
him as it were to go on. But Clara continued to make her comparisons,
and knew well that her cousin Will would have gone on in spite of any
such forbiddings.

On that night, however, when she was alone, she could console herself
with thinking h