strange that he doesn't give her presents? Never anything but
candy and flowers."

"And he never will," said Presbury.

"Not until they're married, I suppose."

Presbury was silent.

"I can't help thinking that if Milly were to rouse herself and show
some--some liking--or at least interest, it'd be wiser."

"She's taking the best possible course," said Presbury. "Unconsciously
to both of them, she's leading him on. He thinks that's the way a lady
should act--restrained, refined."

Mildred's attitude was simple inertia. The most positive effort she
made was avoiding saying or doing anything to displease him--no
difficult matter, as she was silent and almost lifeless when he was
near. Without any encouragement from her he gradually got a deep
respect for her--which meant that he became convinced of her coldness
and exclusiveness, of her absolute trustworthiness. Presbury was more
profoundly right than he knew. The girl pursued the only course that
made possible the success she longed for, yet dreaded and loathed. For
at the outset Siddall had not been nearly so strongly in earnest in his
matrimonial project as he had professed and had believed himself. He
wished to marry, wished to add to his possessions the admirable
show-piece and exhibition opportunity afforded by the right sort of
wife; but in the bottom of his heart he felt that such a woman as he
dreamed of did not exist in all the foolish, fickle, and shallow female
sex. This girl--so cold, so proud, beautiful yet not eager to display
her charms or to have them praised--she was the rare bird he sought.

In a month he asked her to marry him; that is, he said: "My dear, I
find that I am ready to go the limit--if you are." And she assented.
He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek--and was delighted to
discover that the alluring embrace made no impression upon the ice of
her "purity and ladylike dignity." Up to the very last moment of the
formal courtship he held himself ready to withdraw should she reveal to
his watchfulness the slightest sign of having any "unladylike"
tendencies or feelings. She revealed no such sign, but remained
"ladylike"; and certainly, so the general reasoned, a woman who could
thus resist him, even in the license of the formal engagement, would
resist anybody.

As soon as the engagement was formally concluded, the general hurried
on the preparations for the wedding. He opened accounts at half a dozen
shops in New