t is sensible, do you ask me such a
question? You don't seriously think of proposing--"

"I don't see why I should not," said John doggedly, seeing that he was
found out.

"You don't see why you should not? Why the thing is perfectly absurd, not
to say utterly impossible! John, you are certainly mad."

"I don't see why," repeated John. "I am a grown man. I have good
prospects--"

"Good prospects!" ejaculated the vicar in horror. "Good prospects! Why,
you are only an undergraduate at Cambridge."

"I may be senior classic in a few months," objected John. "That is not
such a bad prospect, it seems to me."

"It means that you may get a fellowship, probably will--in the course of
a few years. But you lose it if you marry. Besides--do you know that Mrs.
Goddard is ten years older than you, and more?"

"Impossible," said John in a tone of conviction.

"I know that she is. She will be two and thirty on her next birthday, and
you are not yet one and twenty."

"I shall be next month," argued John, who was somewhat taken aback,
however, by the alarming news of Mrs. Goddard's age. "Besides, I can go
into the church, before I get a fellowship--"

"No, you can't," said the vicar energetically. "You won't be able to
manage it. If you do, you will have to put up with a poor living."

"That would not matter. Mrs. Goddard has something--"

"An honourable prospect!" exclaimed Mr. Ambrose, growing more and more
excited. "To marry a woman ten years older than yourself because she has
a little money of her own! You! I would not have thought it of you,
John--indeed I would not!"

Indeed no one was more surprised than John Short himself, when he found
himself arguing the possibilities of his marriage with his old tutor. But
he was an obstinate young fellow enough and was not inclined to give up
the fight easily.

"Really," he objected, "I cannot see anything so very terrible in the
idea. I shall certainly make my way in the world. You know that it is not
for the sake of her money. Many men have married women ten years older
than themselves, and not half so beautiful and charming, I am sure."

"I don't believe it," said the vicar, "and if they have, why it has been
very different, that is all. Besides, you have not known Mrs. Goddard a
week--positively not more than five days--why, it is madness! Do you mean
to tell me that at the end of five days you believe you are seriously
attached to a lady you never saw in your life befo