master of his wife as to
make her wear fine clothes without difficulty. But then he did not know
Dolly Grey.

He had studied deeply his manner of attacking her. He would be very
humble at first, but after a while his humility should be discontinued,
whether she accepted or rejected him. He knew well that it did not
become a husband to be humble; and as regarded a lover, he thought that
humility was merely the outside gloss of love-making. He had been
humble enough on the former occasion, and would begin now in the same
strain. But after a while he would stir himself, and assume the manner
of a man. "Miss Grey," he said, as soon as they were alone, "you see
that I have been as good as my word, and have come again." He had
already observed her old frock and her mode of dressing up her hair, and
had guessed the truth.

"I knew that you were to come, Mr. Barry."

"Your father has told you so."

"Yes."

"And he has spoken a good word in my favor?"

"Yes, he has."

"Which I trust will be effective."

"Not at all. He knows that it is the only subject on which I cannot take
his advice. I would burn my hand off for my father, but I cannot afford
to give it to any one at his instance. It must be exclusively my
own,--unless some one should come very different from those who are
likely to ask for it."

There was something, Mr. Barry thought, of offence in this, but he could
not altogether throw off his humility as yet. "I quite admit the value
of the treasure," he said.

"There need not be any nonsense between us, Mr. Barry. It has no special
value to any one,--except to myself; but to myself I mean to keep it. At
my father's instance I had thought over the proposition you have made me
much more seriously than I had thought it possible that I should do."

"That is not flattering," he said.

"There is no need for flattery, either on the one side or on the other.
You had better take that as established. You have done me the honor of
wishing, for certain reasons, that I should be your wife."

"The common reason:--that I love you."

"But I am not able to return the feeling, and do not therefore wish that
you should be my husband. That sounds to be uncivil."

"Rather."

"But I say it in order to make you understand the exact truth. A woman
cannot love a man because she feels for him even the most profound
respect. She will often do so when there is neither respect nor esteem.
My father has so spoken of you to me t