ies. Her
conviction was strong in Mr. Glascock's favour,--thinking, as she
expressed herself, that everything was right and proper,--but she
could hardly explain why she thought so.

"I do wish that they had never come," said Priscilla, who could not
rid herself of an idea that there must be danger in having to do with
women who had men running after them.

"Of course I'll see him," said Nora to her sister. "I have not
refused to see him. Why do you scold me?"

"I have not scolded you, Nora; but I do want you to think how
immensely important this is."

"Of course it is important."

"And so much the more so because of my misfortunes! Think how good he
must be, how strong must be his attachment, when he comes down here
after you in this way."

"But I have to think of my own feelings."

"You know you like him. You have told me so. And only fancy what
mamma will feel! Such a position! And the man so excellent! Everybody
says that he hasn't a fault in any way."

"I hate people without faults."

"Oh, Nora, Nora, that is foolish! There, there; you must go down.
Pray,--pray do not let any absurd fancy stand in your way, and
destroy everything. It will never come again, Nora. And, only think;
it is all now your own, if you will only whisper one word."

"Ah!--one word,--and that a falsehood!"

"No,--no. Say you will try to love him, and that will be enough. And
you do love him?"

"Do I?"

"Yes, you do. It is only the opposition of your nature that makes you
fight against him. Will you go now?"

"Let me be for two minutes by myself," said Nora, "and then I'll come
down. Tell him that I'm coming." Mrs. Trevelyan stooped over her,
kissed her, and then left her.

Nora, as soon as she was alone, stood upright in the middle of the
room and held her hands up to her forehead. She had been far from
thinking, when she was considering the matter easily among the
hillocks, that the necessity for an absolute decision would come upon
her so instantaneously. She had told herself only this morning that
it would be wise to accept the man, if he should ever ask a second
time;--and he had come already. He had been waiting for her in the
village while she had been thinking whether he would ever come across
her path again. She thought that it would have been easier for her
now to have gone down with a "yes" in her mouth, if her sister had
not pressed her so hard to say that "yes." The very pressure from her
sister seemed to impl