ficulty, my dear?
If I had only five hundred a year, I might come across some decent
middle-aged personage, like myself, who would like me, myself, pretty
well, and would like my little income--pretty well also. He would not
tell me any violent lie, and perhaps no lie at all. I should take to
him in the same sort of way, and we might do very well. But, as it
is, how is it possible that any disinterested person should learn
to like me? How could such a man set about it? If a sheep have two
heads, is not the fact of the two heads the first and, indeed, only
thing which the world regards in that sheep? Must it not be so as a
matter of course? I am a sheep with two heads. All this money which
my father put together, and which has been growing since like grass
under May showers, has turned me into an abortion. I am not the
giantess eight feet high, or the dwarf that stands in the man's
hand--"

"Or the two-headed sheep--"

"But I am the unmarried woman with--half a dozen millions of
money--as I believe some people think. Under such circumstances have
I a fair chance of getting my own sweet bit of grass to nibble, like
any ordinary animal with one head? I never was very beautiful, and I
am not more so now than I was fifteen years ago."

"I am quite sure it is not that which hinders it. You would not call
yourself plain; and even plain women are married every day, and are
loved too, as well as pretty women."

"Are they? Well, we won't say more about that; but I don't expect a
great many lovers on account of my beauty. If ever you hear of such
an one, mind you tell me." It was almost on Mrs. Gresham's tongue to
say that she did know of one such--meaning her uncle. But in truth,
she did not know any such thing; nor could she boast to herself that
she had good grounds for feeling that it was so--certainly none
sufficient to justify her in speaking of it. Her uncle had said no
word to her on the matter, and had been confused and embarrassed when
the idea of such a marriage was hinted to him. But, nevertheless,
Mrs. Gresham did think that each of these two was well inclined to
love the other, and that they would be happier together than they
would be single. The difficulty, however, was very great, for the
doctor would be terribly afraid of being thought covetous in regard
to Miss Dunstable's money; and it would hardly be expected that she
should be induced to make the first overture to the doctor.

"My uncle would be the on