temper is very excellent. Assured talent,
religion, amiability, truth, honesty, are all desirable. But an
assured income is indispensable. Whereas, in truth, the income may
come hereafter; but the other things, unless they be there already,
will hardly be forthcoming. "Mr. Stanbury," she said, "your
suddenness has quite astounded me."

"Ah, yes; but how should I not be sudden? I have come here on purpose
to say this to you. If I do not say it now--"

"You heard what Emily said."

"No;--what did she say?"

"She said that it would not be for good that you should speak to me
thus."

"Why not for good? But she is unhappy, and looks gloomily at things."

"Yes, indeed."

"But all the world need not be sad for ever because she has been
unfortunate."

"Not all the world, Mr. Stanbury;--but you must not be surprised if
it affects me."

"But would that prevent your loving me,--if you did love me? But,
Nora, I do not expect you to love me,--not yet. I do not say that I
expect it,--ever. But if you would--. Nora, I can do no more than
tell you the simple truth. Just listen to me for a minute. You know
how I came to be intimate with you all in Curzon Street. The first
day I saw you I loved you; and there has come no change yet. It is
months now since I first knew that I loved you. Well; I told myself
more than once,--when I was down at Nuncombe for instance,--that I
had no right to speak to you. What right can a poor devil like me
have, who lives from hand to mouth, to ask such a girl as you to be
his wife? And so I said nothing,--though it was on my lips every
moment that I was there." Nora remembered at the moment how she had
looked to his lips, and had not seen the words there. "But I think
there is something unmanly in this. If you cannot give me a grain
of hope;--if you tell me that there never can be hope, it is my
misfortune. It will be very grievous, but I will bear it. But that
will be better than puling and moping about without daring to tell my
tale. I am not ashamed of it. I have fallen in love with you, Nora,
and I think it best to come for an answer."

He held out his arms as though he thought that she might perhaps come
to him. Indeed he had no idea of any such coming on her part; but
she, as she looked at him, almost thought that it was her duty to go.
Had she a right to withhold herself from him, she who loved him so
dearly? Had he stepped forward and taken her in his arms it might be
that all power