u to treat Lucy as you yourself would wish to treat any girl to
whom you knew that I was engaged."

"But you say that you are not engaged."

"No, I am not; but I have made my offer to her, and I have not been
rejected. She has confessed that she--loves me,--not to myself,
but to her brother. Under these circumstances, may I count upon
your obliging me?" There was something in his manner which almost
frightened his mother, and made her think that there was more behind
than was told to her. Generally speaking, his manner was open,
gentle, and unguarded; but now he spoke as though he had prepared his
words, and was resolved on being harsh as well as obstinate.

"I am so much taken by surprise, Ludovic, that I can hardly give you
an answer. If you ask me whether I approve of such a marriage, I must
say that I do not; I think that you would be throwing yourself away
in marrying Miss Robarts."

"That is because you do not know her."

"May it not be possible that I know her better than you do, dear
Ludovic? You have been flirting with her--"

"I hate that word; it always sounds to me to be vulgar."

"I will say making love to her, if you like it better; and gentlemen
under these circumstances will sometimes become infatuated."

"You would not have a man marry a girl without making love to her.
The fact is, mother, that your tastes and mine are not exactly the
same; you like silent beauty, whereas I like talking beauty, and
then--"

"Do you call Miss Robarts beautiful?"

"Yes, I do; very beautiful; she has the beauty that I admire.
Good-bye now, mother; I shall not see you again before I start. It
will be no use writing, as I shall be away so short a time, and I
don't quite know where we shall be. I shall come down to Framley
immediately I return, and shall learn from you how the land lies. I
have told you my wishes, and you will consider how far you think it
right to fall in with them." He then kissed her, and without waiting
for her reply he took his leave. Poor Lady Lufton, when she was left
to herself, felt that her head was going round and round. Was this
to be the end of all her ambition,--of all her love for her son? and
was this to be the result of all her kindness to the Robartses? She
almost hated Mark Robarts as she reflected that she had been the
means of bringing him and his sister to Framley. She thought over all
his sins, his absences from the parish, his visit to Gatherum Castle,
his dealings with r