y mind
for very near twenty years. And I say this, that being now a man of
capital, and a healthy and respectable man, and well thought of, I
believe, and nothing against me to my knowledge, I offer to marry you,
Nelly Northover. The idea, of course, comes upon you like a bolt from
the blue, as I can see by your face; but before you answer 'No,' I must
say I've loved you in a respectful manner for many years, and though I
knew my place too well to say so, I let it appear by faithful service
and very sharp eyes always on your interests--day and night you may
say."

"That is true," she said. "I didn't know my luck."

"I don't say that. Any honourable man would have done so much, very
likely; but perhaps--however, I'm not here to praise myself but to
praise you; and I may add I never in a large experience saw the
woman--maid, wife or widow--to hold a candle to you for brains and
energy and far-reaching fine qualities in general. And therefore I never
could be worthy of you, and I don't pretend to it, and the man who did
would be a very vain and windy fool; but such is my high opinion and
great desire to be your husband that I risk, you may say, everything by
offering myself."

"This is a very great surprise, Job."

"So great that you must do me one good turn and not answer without
letting it sink in, if you please. I have a right to beg that. Of course
I know on the spur of the moment the really nice-minded woman always
turns down the adventurous male. 'Tis their delicate instinct so to do.
But you won't do that--for fairness to me. And there's more to it yet,
because we've got to think of fairness to you also. I wouldn't have you
buy a pig in a poke and take a man of means without knowing where you
stood. So I may say that if you presently felt the same as I do about
it, I should spend a bit of my capital on 'The Seven Stars,' which, in
my judgment, is now crying for capital expenditure."

"It is," admitted Mrs. Northover, "I grant you that."

"Very well, then. It would be my pride--"

He was interrupted, for the bell of the inn rang and a moment later
Raymond Ironsyde appeared in the hall. He had come for supper and bed.

"Good evening, Mrs. Northover," he said. "I'm belated and starving into
the bargain. Have you got a room?"

"For that matter, yes," she answered not very enthusiastically. "But
surely 'The Tiger's' your house, sir?"

"I'm not bound to 'The Tiger,' and very likely shall never go there
again.