I shouldn't care one straw for that."

"Ah, but I should,--a great many straws."

He sat there for two hours, telling her of all things appertaining to
himself. He explained to her that, irrespective of the brewery, he
had an income sufficient to support a wife,--"though not enough to
make her a fine lady like Mrs. Cornbury," he said.

"If you can give me bread and cheese, it's as much as I have a right
to expect," said Rachel.

"I have over four hundred a year," said he: and Rachel, hearing it,
thought that he could indeed support a wife. Why should a man with
four hundred a year want to brew beer?

"But I have got nothing," said Rachel; "not a farthing."

"Of course not," said Rowan; "it is my theory that unmarried girls
never ought to have anything. If they have, they ought to be
considered as provided for, and then they shouldn't have husbands.
And I rather think it would be better if men didn't have anything
either, so that they might be forced to earn their bread. Only they
would want capital."

Rachel listened to it all with the greatest content, and most
unalloyed happiness. She did not quite understand him, but she
gathered from his words that her own poverty was not a reproach in
his eyes, and that he under no circumstances would have looked for
a wife with a fortune. Her happiness was unalloyed at all she heard
from him, till at last he spoke of his mother.

"And does she dislike me?" asked Rachel, with dismay.

"It isn't that she dislikes you, but she's staying with that Mrs.
Tappitt, who is furious against me because,--I suppose it's because
of this brewery row. But indeed I can't understand it. A week ago I
was at home there; now I daren't show my nose in the house, and have
been turned out of the brewery this morning with a poker."

"I hope it's nothing about me," said Rachel.

"How can it be about you?"

"Because I thought Mrs. Tappitt looked at the ball as though--. But I
suppose it didn't mean anything."

"It ought to be a matter of perfect indifference whether it meant
anything or not."

"But how can it be so about your mother? If this is ever to lead to
anything--"

"Lead to anything! What it will lead to is quite settled."

"You know what I mean. But how could I become your wife if your
mother did not wish it?"

"Look here, Rachel; that's all very proper for a girl, I dare say.
If your mother thought I was not fit to be your husband, I won't say
but what you ought to take her