"Would you, Aunt Sarah?"

"I think I would. If he were really your brother you would tell him."

It was probably the case, that when Miss Marrable gave this
advice, her opinion of Mr. Gilmore's success was greater than the
circumstances warranted. Though there had been much said between the
aunt and her niece about Mr. Gilmore and his offers, Mary had never
been able quite to explain her own thoughts and feelings. She herself
did not believe that she could be brought to accept him, and was
now stronger in that opinion than ever. But were she to say so in
language that would convince her aunt, her aunt would no doubt ask
her, why then had she left the man in doubt? Though she knew that
at every moment in which she had been called upon to act, she had
struggled to do right, yet there hung over her a half-conviction that
she had been weak, and almost selfish. Her dearest friends wrote to
her and spoke to her as though she would certainly take Mr. Gilmore
at last. Janet Fenwick wrote of it in her letters as of a thing
almost fixed; and Aunt Sarah certainly lived as though she expected
it. And yet Mary was very nearly sure that it could not be so. Would
it not be better that she should write to Mr. Gilmore at once,
and not wait till the expiration of the weary six months which he
had specified as the time at the end of which he might renew his
proposals? Had Aunt Sarah known all this,--had she been aware how
very near Mary was to the writing of such a letter,--she would
not probably have suggested that her niece should tell her cousin
anything about Mr. Gilmore. She did think that the telling of the
tale would make Cousin Walter understand that he should not allow
himself to become an interloper; but the tale, if told as Mary would
tell it, might have a very different effect.

Nevertheless Mary thought that she would tell it. It would be so nice
to consult a brother! It would be so pleasant to discuss the matter
with some one that would sympathise with her,--with some one who
would not wish to drive her into Mr. Gilmore's arms simply because
Mr. Gilmore was an excellent gentleman, with a snug property! Even
from Janet Fenwick, whom she loved dearly, she had never succeeded
in getting the sort of sympathy that she wanted. Janet was the best
friend in the world,--was actuated in this matter simply by a desire
to do a good turn to two people whom she loved. But there was no
sympathy between her and Mary in the matter.