, and as he went away
immediately afterwards he hardly seemed to expect one. He did not
even ask for Mrs. Askerton, and as that lady remarked, behaved
altogether like a bear. "But what a munificent bear!" she said.
"Fancy;--eight hundred a year of your own. One begins to doubt
whether it is worth one's while to marry at all with such an income
as that to do what one likes with! However, it all means nothing. It
will all be his own again before you have even touched it."

"You must not say anything more about that," said Clara gravely.

"And why must I not?"

"Because I shall hear nothing more of it. There is an end of all
that,--as there ought to be."

"Why an end? I don't see an end. There will be no end till Belton
of Belton has got you and your eight hundred a year as well as
everything else."

"You will find that--he--does not mean--anything--more," said Clara.

"You think not?"

"I am--sure of it." Then there was a little sound in her throat
as though she were in some danger of being choked; but she soon
recovered herself, and was able to express herself clearly. "I have
only one favour to ask you now, Mrs. Askerton, and that is that you
will never say anything more about him. He has changed his mind. Of
course he has, or he would not come here like that and have gone away
without saying a word."

"Not a word! A man gives you eight hundred a year, and that is not
saying a word!"

"Not a word except about money! But of course he is right. I know
that he is right. After what has passed he would be very wrong
to--to--think about it any more. You joke about his being Belton of
Belton. But it does make a difference."

"It does;--does it?"

"It has made a difference. I see and feel it now. I shall never--hear
him--ask me--that question--any more."

"And if you did hear him, what answer would you make him?"

"I don't know."

"That is just it. Women are so cross-grained that it is a wonder to
me that men should ever have anything to do with them. They have
about them some madness of a phantasy which they dignify with the
name of feminine pride, and under the cloak of this they believe
themselves to be justified in tormenting their lovers' lives out.
The only consolation is that they torment themselves as much. Can
anything be more cross-grained than you are at this moment? You were
resolved just now that it would be the most unbecoming thing in the
world if he spoke a word more about his love for the ne