the door behind them, Mr. Wilkins went to the
sideboard, and took out a bottle which had not previously made its
appearance.

"Have a little cognac?" he asked, with an assumption of carelessness, as
he poured out a wine-glassful. "It's a capital thing for the headache;
and this nasty lowering weather has given me a racking headache all day."

"I am sorry for it," said Ralph, "for I wanted particularly to speak to
you about business--about my marriage, in fact."

"Well! speak away, I'm as clear-headed as any man, if that's what you
mean."

Ralph bowed, a little contemptuously.

"What I wanted to say was, that I am anxious to have all things arranged
for my marriage in August. Ellinor is so much better now; in fact, so
strong, that I think we may reckon upon her standing the change to a
London life pretty well."

Mr. Wilkins stared at him rather blankly, but did not immediately speak.

"Of course I may have the deeds drawn up in which, as by previous
arrangement, you advance a certain portion of Ellinor's fortune for the
purposes therein to be assigned; as we settled last year when I hoped to
have been married in August?"

A thought flitted through Mr. Wilkins's confused brain that he should
find it impossible to produce the thousands required without having
recourse to the money lenders, who were already making difficulties, and
charging him usurious interest for the advances they had lately made; and
he unwisely tried to obtain a diminution in the sum he had originally
proposed to give Ellinor. "Unwisely," because he might have read Ralph's
character better than to suppose he would easily consent to any
diminution without good and sufficient reason being given; or without
some promise of compensating advantages in the future for the present
sacrifice asked from him. But perhaps Mr. Wilkins, dulled as he was by
wine thought he could allege a good and sufficient reason, for he said:

"You must not be hard upon me, Ralph. That promise was made
before--before I exactly knew the state of my affairs!"

"Before Dunster's disappearance, in fact," said Mr. Corbet, fixing his
steady, penetrating eyes on Mr. Wilkins's countenance.

"Yes--exactly--before Dunster's--" mumbled out Mr. Wilkins, red and
confused, and not finishing his sentence.

"By the way," said Ralph (for with careful carelessness of manner he
thought he could extract something of the real nature of the impending
disgrace from his companion, in th