he were to ask her to become a Protestant nun, or suggest to her that
she should leave her home and go as nurse into a hospital, then there
would have occurred the sort of folly of which she believed him to be
capable. Of the folly which he now committed, she had not believed him
to be capable.

It had come on to rain hard, and she held her umbrella low over her
head. He also was walking with an open umbrella in his hand, so that
they were not very close to each other. Fanny, as she stepped on
impetuously, put her foot into the depth of a pool, and splashed herself
thoroughly.

"Oh dear, oh dear," said she; "this is very disagreeable."

"Miss Clavering," said he, "I have been looking for an opportunity to
speak to you, and I do not know when I may find another so suitable as
this." She still believed that some proposition was to be made to her
which would be disagreeable, and perhaps impertinent; but it never
occurred to her that Mr. Saul was in want of a wife.

"Doesn't it rain too hard for talking?" she said.

"As I have begun, I must go on with it now," he replied, raising his
voice a little, as though it were necessary that he should do so to make
her hear him through the rain and darkness. She moved a little further
away from him with unthinking irritation; but still he went on with his
purpose. "Miss Clavering, I know that I am ill-suited to play the part
of a lover; very ill-suited." Then she gave a start and again splashed
herself sadly. "I have never read how it is done in books, and have not
allowed my imagination to dwell much on such things."

"Mr. Saul, don't go on; pray don't." Now she did understand what was
coming.

"Yes, Miss Clavering, I must go on now; but not on that account would I
press you to give me an answer to-day. I have learned to love you, and,
if you can love me in return, I will take you by the hand, and you shall
be my wife. I have found that in you which I have been unable not to
love--not to covet that I may bind it to myself as my own forever. Will
you think of this, and give me an answer when you have considered it
fully?" He had not spoken altogether amiss, and Fanny, though she was
very angry with him, was conscious of this. The time he had chosen might
not be considered suitable for a declaration of love, nor the place;
but, having chosen them, he had, perhaps, made the best of them. There
had been no hesitation in his voice, and his words had been perfectly
audible.

"