n, he well
knew that she would never put out her hand in token of love to any
one without telling all she knew and all she surmised as to her own
birth.

And that question of this evening; had it not been instigated by some
appeal to her heart? Was there not already within her breast some
cause for disquietude which had made her so pertinacious? Why else
had she told him then, for the first time, that she did not know
where to rank herself? If such an appeal had been made to her, it
must have come from young Frank Gresham. What, in such case, would it
behove him to do? Should he pack up his all, his lancet-cases, pestle
and mortar, and seek anew fresh ground in a new world, leaving behind
a huge triumph to those learned enemies of his, Fillgrave, Century,
and Rerechild? Better that than remain at Greshamsbury at the cost of
his child's heart and pride.

And so he walked slowly backwards and forwards through his garden,
meditating these things painfully enough.

CHAPTER VIII

Matrimonial Prospects

It will of course be remembered that Mary's interview with the other
girls at Greshamsbury took place some two or three days subsequently
to Frank's generous offer of his hand and heart. Mary had quite made
up her mind that the whole thing was to be regarded as a folly, and
that it was not to be spoken of to any one; but yet her heart was
sore enough. She was full of pride, and yet she knew she must bow her
neck to the pride of others. Being, as she was herself, nameless, she
could not but feel a stern, unflinching antagonism, the antagonism of
a democrat, to the pretensions of others who were blessed with that
of which she had been deprived. She had this feeling; and yet, of
all the things that she coveted, she most coveted that, for glorying
in which, she was determined to heap scorn on others. She said to
herself, proudly, that God's handiwork was the inner man, the inner
woman, the naked creature animated by a living soul; that all other
adjuncts were but man's clothing for the creature; all others,
whether stitched by tailors or contrived by kings. Was it not within
her capacity to do as nobly, to love as truly, to worship her God in
heaven with as perfect a faith, and her god on earth with as leal a
troth, as though blood had descended to her purely through scores
of purely born progenitors? So to herself she spoke; and yet, as
she said it, she knew that were she a man, such a man as the heir
of Greshamsb