th so much of the vehemence of true desire.
"Clara, you have promised to be my wife. You have twice promised; and
can have no right to go back because you are displeased with what my
mother may have said. I am not responsible for my mother. Clara, say
that you will be my wife." As he spoke he strove to take her hand,
and his voice sounded as though there were in truth something of
passion in his heart.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THERE IS NOTHING TO TELL.

Captain Aylmer had never before this knelt to Clara Amedroz. Such
kneeling on the part of lovers used to be the fashion because lovers
in those days held in higher value than they do now that which they
asked their ladies to give,--or because they pretended to do so. The
forms at least of supplication were used; whereas in these wiser days
Augustus simply suggests to Caroline that they two might as well
make fools of themselves together,--and so the thing is settled
without the need of much prayer. Captain Aylmer's engagement had
been originally made somewhat after this fashion. He had not,
indeed, spoken of the thing contemplated as a folly, not being a
man given to little waggeries of that nature; but he had been calm,
unenthusiastic, and reasonable. He had not attempted to evince any
passion, and would have been quite content that Clara should believe
that he married as much from obedience to his aunt as from love
for herself, had he not found that Clara would not take him at all
under such a conviction. But though she had declined to come to
him after that fashion,--though something more than that had been
needed,--still she had been won easily, and, therefore, lightly
prized. I fear that it is so with everything that we value,--with our
horses, our houses, our wines, and, above all, with our women. Where
is the man who has heart and soul big enough to love a woman with
increased force of passion because she has at once recognised in him
all that she has herself desired? Captain Aylmer having won his spurs
easily, had taken no care in buckling them, and now found, to his
surprise, that he was like to lose them. He had told himself that he
would only be too glad to shuffle his feet free of their bondage; but
now that they were going from him, he began to find that they were
very necessary for the road that he was to travel. "Clara," he said,
kneeling by her side, "you are more to me than my mother; ten times
more!"

This was all new to her. Hitherto, though she h