that you should be unhappy.
If he had meant it, he would have spoken to papa. If you will only
tell me that you are not thinking of him, that he is not making you
unhappy, I will not say a word further."

"I am thinking of him, and he is making me unhappy," said Clarissa,
bursting into tears. "But I don't know why you should say that he is
a liar, and dishonest, and everything that is bad."

"I have neither said that, nor thought it, Clary."

"That is what you mean. He did say that he loved me."

"And you,--you did not answer him?"

"No;--I said nothing. I can't explain it, and I don't want to explain
it. I did not say a word to him. You came; and then he went away. If
I am to be unhappy, I can't help it. He did say that he loved me, and
I do love him."

"Will you tell papa?"

"No;--I will not. It would be out of the question. He would go to
Ralph, and there would be a row, and I would not have it for worlds."
Then she tried to smile. "Other girls are unhappy, and I don't see
why I'm to be better off than the rest. I know I am a fool. You'll
never be unhappy, because you are not a fool. But, Patience, I have
told you everything, and if you are not true to me I will never
forgive you." Patience promised that she would be true; and then they
embraced and were friends.

CHAPTER VIII.

RALPH NEWTON'S TROUBLES.

July had come, the second week in July, and Ralph Newton had not
as yet given any reply to that very definite proposition which had
been made to him after the little dinner by Mr. Neefit. Now the
proposition was one which certainly required an answer;--and all the
effect which it had hitherto had upon our friend was to induce him
not to include Conduit Street in any of his daily walks. It has
already been said that before the offer was made to him, when he
believed that Polly's fortune would be more than Mr. Neefit had been
able to promise, he had determined that nothing should induce him
to marry the daughter of a breeches-maker; and therefore the answer
might have been easy. Nevertheless he made no answer, but kept out
of Conduit Street, and allowed the three pair of breeches to be sent
home to him without trying them on. This was very wrong; for Mr.
Neefit, though perhaps indelicate, had at least been generous and
trusting;--and a definite answer should have been given before the
middle of July.

Troubles were coming thick upon Ralph Newton. He had borrowed a
hundred pounds from Mr. Neefit