it. She would
be miserable with him, and make him miserable as well. She does not
really love him. He loves her, but I've nothing to do with that. It's
nothing to me if he breaks his heart."

"I shall break mine if you don't let me go to bed."

With that she went away and hurried along the corridor, till she came
to her cousin's room. She found Alice still seated at the window, or
rather kneeling on the chair, with her head out through the lattice.
"Why, you lazy creature," said Kate; "I declare you haven't touched a
thing."

"You said we'd do it together."

"But he has kept me. Oh, what a man he is! If he ever does get
married, what will his wife do with him?"

"I don't think he ever will," said Alice.

"Don't you? I dare say you understand him better than I do. Sometimes
I think that the only thing wanting to make him thoroughly good, is a
wife. But it isn't every woman that would do for him. And the woman
who marries him should have high courage. There are moments with him
when he is very wild; but he never is cruel and never hard. Is Mr
Grey ever hard?"

"Never; nor yet wild."

"Oh, certainly not that. I'm quite sure he's never wild."

"When you say that, Kate, I know that you mean to abuse him."

"No; upon my word. What's the good of abusing him to you? I like a
man to be wild,--wild in my sense. You knew that before."

"I wonder whether you'd like a wild man for yourself?"

"Ah! that's a question I've never asked myself. I've been often
curious to consider what sort of husband would suit you, but I've
had very few thoughts about a husband for myself. The truth is, I'm
married to George. Ever since--"

"Ever since what?"

"Since you and he were parted, I've had nothing to do in life but to
stick to him. And I shall do so to the end,--unless one thing should
happen."

"And what's that?"

"Unless you should become his wife after all. He will never marry
anybody else."

"Kate, you shouldn't allude to such a thing now. You know that it's
impossible."

"Well, perhaps so. As far as I'm concerned, it is all the better
for me. If George ever married, I should have nothing to do in the
world;--literally nothing--nothing--nothing--nothing!"

"Kate, don't talk in that way," and Alice came up to her and embraced
her.

"Go away," said she. "Go, Alice; you and I must part. I cannot bear
it any longer. You must know it all. When you are married to John
Grey, our friendship must be over. If you became