Yes," he said.

Gwen continued to look at him, her face full of questioning.

"You have been thinking whether you should trust yourself to me," he
said very gravely, "and whether you could face the responsibility and
the cares of a house, a position, like that of a Warden's wife?"

"Oh yes," said Gwen.

"You think that you understand them?" he asked.

"Oh yes," said Gwen. "At least, I would try; I would do my best."

"There is nothing very amusing in my manner of life; in fact, I should
describe it as--solemn. The business," he continued, "of a Warden is to
ward his college. His wife's business is to assist him."

"I should simply love that," said Gwen. "I should really! I'm not
clever, I know, but I would try my best, and--I'm so--afraid of you,"
she said with a gulp of emotion, "and admire you so awfully!"

The Warden's face hardened a little, but Gwen did not observe it; all
she saw and knew was that the dismal part of the interview was over,
for he accepted this outburst as a definite reply on her part to his
offer. She was so glad she had said just what she had said. It seemed to
be all right.

"That is your decision?" he said, only he did not move towards her. He
stood there, standing with his back to the projection of the fireplace,
his head on a level with the frame of the portrait. The two faces, of
the present Warden of the year 1916 and the Warden of the eighteenth
century, made a striking contrast. Both men had no lack of physical
beauty, but the one had discovered the "rights" of man, and therefore of
a Warden, and the other had discovered the "duties" of men, including
Wardens.

He stood there and did not approach her. He was hesitating.

He could, if he wished it, exercise his power over her and make her
answer "No." He could make her shrink away from him, or even deny that
she had wished for an interview. And he could do this safely, for
Gwendolen herself was ignorant of the fact that he had on the previous
night exercised any influence over her except that of argument. She
would have no suspicion that he was tampering with her will for his own
purposes. He could extricate himself now and at this moment. Now, while
she was still waiting for him to tell her whether he would marry her.

The temptation was a heavy one. It was heavy, although he knew from the
first that it was one which he could and would resist. There was no real
question about it.

He stood there by the hearth, a free man st