it was clearly his duty
to marry Dorothy Stanbury. She had the sweetest temper in the world,
and blushed with the prettiest blush! She would have, moreover, two
thousand pounds on the day she married, and there was no saying what
other and greater pecuniary advantages might follow. His mind was
quite made up; and during the whole morning he had been endeavouring
to drive all disagreeable reminiscences of Miss French from his
memory, and to arrange the words with which he would make his offer
to Dorothy. He was aware that he need not be very particular about
his words, as Dorothy, from the bashfulness of her nature, would be
no judge of eloquence at such a time. But still, for his own sake,
there should be some form of expression, some propriety of diction.
Before eleven o'clock he had it all by heart, and had nearly freed
himself from the uneasiness of his falsehood to Arabella. He had
given much serious thought to the matter, and had quite resolved that
he was right in his purpose, and that he could marry Dorothy with a
pure conscience, and with a true promise of a husband's love. "Dear
Dolly!" he said to himself, with something of enthusiasm as he walked
across the Close. And he looked up to the house as he came to it.
There was to be his future home. There was not one of the prebends
who had a better house. And there was a dove-like softness about
Dorothy's eyes, and a winning obedience in her manner, that were
charming. His lines had fallen to him in very pleasant places.
Yes;--he would go up to her, and take her at once by the hand, and
ask her whether she would be his, now and for ever. He would not
let go her hand till he had brought her so close to him that she
could hide her blushes on his shoulder. The whole thing had been so
well conceived, had become so clear to his mind, that he felt no
hesitation or embarrassment as he knocked at the door. Arabella
French would, no doubt, hear of it soon. Well;--she must hear of it.
After all she could do him no injury.

He was shown up at once into the drawing-room, and there he
found--Miss Stanbury the elder. "Oh, Mr. Gibson!" she said at once.

"Is anything the matter with--dear Dorothy?"

"She is the most obstinate, pig-headed young woman I ever came across
since the world began."

"You don't say so! But what is it, Miss Stanbury?"

"What is it? Why just this. Nothing on earth that I can say to her
will induce her to come down and speak to you."

"Have I offend