hat
affair had been so small as to be almost overlooked amidst larger
matters. Mary, he thought, had never looked so beautiful as she had
done while refusing him. He did not mean to give her up. Her heart,
she had told him, was not her own. He thought he had read of young
ladies in similar conditions, of young ladies who had bestowed their
hearts and had afterwards got them back again for the sake of making
second bestowals. He was not sure but that such an object would lend
a zest to life. There was his brother Gregory in love with Clarissa,
and still true to her. He would be true to Mary, and would see
whether, in spite of that far-away lover, he might not be more
successful than his brother. At any rate he would not give her
up,--and before he had gone to bed that night he had already
concocted a letter to her in his brain, explaining the whole of that
Neefit affair, and asking her whether a man should be condemned to
misery for life because he had been led by misfortune into such a
mistake as that. He dined very well at his club, and on the following
morning went down to the Moonbeam by an early train, for that day's
hunting. Thence he returned to Newton Priory in time for Christmas,
and as he was driven up to his own house, through his own park,
meeting one or two of his own tenants, and encountering now and then
his own obsequious labourers, he was not an unhappy man in spite of
Mary Bonner's cruel answer. It may be doubted whether his greatest
trouble at this moment did not arise from his dread of Neefit. He had
managed to stay long enough in London to give orders that Neefit's
money should be immediately paid. He knew that Neefit could not harm
him at law; but it would not be agreeable if the old man were to go
about the country telling everyone that he, Ralph Newton of Newton,
had twice offered to marry Polly. For the present we will leave him,
although he is our hero, and will return to the girls at Popham
Villa.

"It is all very well talking, Patience, but I don't mean to try to
change," Clarissa said. This was after that visit of the Percycross
deputation to Sir Thomas, and after Christmas. More than a week had
now passed by since Ralph had rushed down to Fulham with his offer,
and the new year had commenced. Sir Thomas had been at home for
Christmas,--for the one day,--and had then returned to London. He had
seen his attorney respecting the petition, who was again to see Mr.
Griffenbottom's London attorne