elf for
the less agreeable business to come by going earlier than usual to
Portman Square. By this means he caught Miss Bruce and two other young
ladies inspecting bridal dresses. Bella blushed and looked ashamed,
and, to the surprise of her friends, sent the dresses away, and set
herself to talk rationally with Sir Charles--as rationally as lovers
can.

The ladies took the cue, and retired in disgust.

Sir Charles apologized.

"This is too bad of me. I come at an unheard-of hour, and frighten away
your fair friends; but the fact is, I have an appointment at two, and I
don't know how long they will keep me, so I thought I would make sure
of two happy hours at the least."

And delightful hours they were. Bella Bruce, excited by this little
surprise, leaned softly on his shoulder, and prattled her maiden love
like some warbling fountain.

Sir Charles, transfigured by love, answered her in kind--three months
ago he could not--and they compared pretty little plans of wedded life,
and had small differences, and ended by agreeing.

Complete and prompt accord upon two points: first, they would not have
a single quarrel, like other people; their love should never lose its
delicate bloom; second, they would grow old together, and die the same
day--the same minute if possible; if not, they must be content with the
same day, but, on that, inexorable.

But soon after this came a skirmish. Each wanted to obey t'other.

Sir Charles argued that Bella was better than he, and therefore more
fit to conduct the pair.

Bella, who thought him divinely good, pounced on this reason furiously.
He defended it. He admitted, with exemplary candor, that he was good
now--"awfully good." But he assured her that he had been anything but
good until he knew her; now she had been always good; therefore, he
argued, as his goodness came originally from her, for her to obey him
would be a little too much like the moon commanding the sun.

"That is too ingenious for me, Charles," said Bella. "And, for shame!
Nobody was ever so good as you are. I look up to you and--Now I could
stop your mouth in a minute. I have only to remind you that I shall
swear at the altar to obey you, and you will not swear to obey me. But
I will not crush you under the Prayer-book--no, dearest; but, indeed,
to obey is a want of my nature, and I marry you to supply that want:
and that's a story, for I marry you because I love and honor and
worship and adore you to distra