w am I to say? But that is missish and untrue. I am sure he loves
me."

"So that he will grieve to lose you?"

"I know he will grieve. I ought not to say so. But I know he will."

"You ought to tell the truth, as you believe it. And you
yourself,--do you love him?"

"I don't know. I do love him; but if I heard he was going to marry
another girl to-morrow it would make me very happy."

"Then you can't love him?"

"I feel as though I should think the same of any man who wanted to
marry me. But let me go on with my story. Everybody I care for wishes
me to take him. I know that Aunt Sarah feels quite sure that I shall
at last, and that she thinks I ought to do so at once. My friend,
Janet Fenwick, cannot understand why I should hesitate, and only
forgives me because she is sure that it will come right, in her way,
some day. Mr. Fenwick is just the same, and will always talk to me as
though it were my fate to live at Bullhampton all my life."

"Is not Bullhampton a nice place?"

"Very nice; I love the place."

"And Mr. Gilmore is rich?"

"He is quite rich enough. Fancy my inquiring about that, with just
L1200 for my fortune."

"Then why, in God's name, don't you accept him?"

"You think I ought?"

"Answer my question;--why do you not?"

"Because--I do not love him--as I should hope to love my husband."

After this Captain Marrable, who had been looking her full in the
face while he had been asking these questions, turned somewhat
away from her, as though the conversation were over. She remained
motionless, and was minded so to remain till he should tell her that
it was time to move, that they might return home. He had given her
no advice; but she presumed she was to take what had passed as the
expression of his opinion that it was her duty to accept an offer so
favourable and so satisfactory to the family. At any rate, she would
say nothing more on the subject till he should address her. Though
she loved him dearly as her cousin, yet she was, in some slight
degree, afraid of him. And now she was not sure but that he was
expressing towards her, by his anger, some amount of displeasure
at her weakness and inconsistency. After a while he turned round
suddenly, and took her by the hand.

"Well, Mary!" he said.

"Well, Walter!"

"What do you mean to do, after all?"

"What ought I to do?"

"What ought you to do? You know what you ought to do. Would you marry
a man for whom you have no more regard than y