me to speak when he saw his way, instead of following my lead
and remembering yourself and calling to mind the sort of woman such as I
had the right to expect, and waiting with patience and dignity for the
accepted hour, you be throwing all thought of me to the winds and rolling
your eyes on the men and axing them to tea, and conducting yourself in a
manner very unbecoming indeed for the woman I'd long hoped to marry."

I felt myself go red to the bosom; but I done a very clever thing, for
though a thousand words leapt to my tongue, I didn't speak one of 'em; but
kept my mouth close shut and looked at him. Nought will vex an angry man
more than to be faced with blank silence after he's let off steam and
worked up to a fine pitch; and now Greg expected me to answer back; and it
put him out of his stride a lot when I didn't.

I dare say we was both dumb for three minutes; then he got up off his
chair and prepared to go.

"And--and," he began again "--and I want you to understand here and
now--here and now--that it's off. You've played with my affections and
made me a laughing stock--so Minnie Parable tells me--and I hope you'll
live to repent it--yes, I do. And I'll say good evening."

"Good evening, Mr. Sweet," I said, "and may God forgive you, because I
never won't. You've put the foul-mouthed lies of that forgotten creature
before a faithful, wholesome woman and listened to libellious falsehoods
spoke against me behind my back, and talked stuff I might have you up for.
And 'tis you are disgraced, not me; and when you find a straighter,
cleaner-minded and more honourable creature than what I am, and one as
would make you a finer partner, or had more admiration and respect for
your character and opinions than what I had until ten minutes ago, then I
shall be pleased to wish her luck."

"It's all off, all the same," he said, and began to shamble down the path;
but he'd lost his fire.

"Yes," I said, following him to the gate. "It's off all right, and angels
from heaven wouldn't bring it on again. I never had it in my mind for an
instant moment to take any man but you, and if I haven't been patient and
long-suffering, waiting till your insulting caution was at an end, then
God never made a patient woman. But it's off, as you truly remark, and I'm
very well content to remain the relic of John Stocks, who valued me and
who died blessing my name."

He went out with his head down and his nose very near touching his
stom