lf of them to
live with me if I liked it." This view of the case did throw some
cold water on Sir Lionel's ardour.

"And you are quite resolved on this?" he said, with a dash of
expiring sentiment in his tone.

"What! to have Patty's children? No, I find it more convenient to pay
for their schooling."

"But you are quite resolved to--to--to give me no other, no more
favourable answer?"

"Oh! about marrying. On that subject, Sir Lionel, my mind is
altogether made up. Miss Todd I am, and Miss Todd I mean to remain.
To tell the truth plainly, I like to be number one in my own house.
Lady Bertram, I am quite sure, will be a fortunate and happy woman;
but then, she'll be number two, I take it. Eh, Sir Lionel?"

Sir Lionel smiled and laughed, and looked at the ground, and then
looked up again; but he did not deny the imputation. "Well," said he,
"I trust we shall still remain friends."

"Oh, certainly; why not?" replied Miss Todd.

And so they parted. Sir Lionel took his hat and stick, and went his
way.

CHAPTER II.

HE TRIES HIS HAND AGAIN.

Miss Todd shook hands with him as he went, and then, putting on her
bonnet and cloak, got into her fly.

She felt some little triumph at her heart in thinking that Sir Lionel
had wished to marry her. Had she not, she would hardly have been a
woman. But by far her strongest feeling was one of dislike to him for
not having wished to marry Miss Baker. She had watched the gallant
soldier closely for the last year, and well knew how tenderly he had
been used to squeeze Miss Baker's hand. He had squeezed her own hand
too; but what was that? She made others the subject of jokes, and
was prepared to be joked upon herself. Whatever Oliver Sir Lionel,
or other person, might give her, she would give back to him or to
her--always excepting Mrs. Leake--a Rowland that should be quite as
good. But Miss Baker was no subject for a joke, and Sir Lionel was in
duty bound to have proposed to her.

It is perhaps almost true that no one can touch pitch and not be
defiled. Miss Todd had been touching pitch for many years past, and
was undoubtedly defiled to a certain extent. But the grime with her
had never gone deep; it was not ingrained; it had not become an
ineradicable stain; it was dirt on which soap-and-water might yet
operate. May we not say that her truth and good-nature, and love
of her fellow-creatures, would furnish her at last with the means
whereby she might be cleansed?