the elder man was unused to
probing a fellow-creature for facts or obtaining information otherwise
than directly. Clement noted the false intonation and hesitation,
recollected his sweetheart's allusion to Martin Grimbal, and read into
his companion's question something closely akin to what in reality lay
behind it. His discovery might have been expected to hasten rather than
retard the truth, and a first impulse in any man had made the facts
instantly clear; but Clement rarely acted on impulse. His character was
subtle, disingenuous, secretive. Safe in absolute possession, the
discovery of Martin's attachment did not flutter him. He laughed in his
mind; then he pictured Chris the wife of this man, reviewed the worldly
improvement in her position such a union must effect, and laughed no
more. Finally he decided to hold his peace; but his motives for so doing
were not clear even to himself.

"Yes," he answered, "but she's not one to give her hand without her
heart."

These words, from Martin's point of view, embraced a definite assurance
that Chris was free; and, as they walked homewards, he kept silence upon
this thought for the space of half an hour. The uneasy hopes and black
fears of love circled him about. Perhaps his timorous mind, in some
moods, had been almost relieved at declaration of the girl's engagement
to another. But now the tremendous task of storming a virgin heart lay
ahead of him, as he imagined. Torments unfelt by those of less sensitive
mould also awaited Martin Grimbal. The self-assertive sort of man, who
rates himself as not valueless, and whose love will not prevent callous
calculation on the weight of his own person and purse upon the argument,
is doubtless wise in his generation, and his sanguine temperament
enables him to escape oceans of unrest, hurricanes of torment; but
self-distrust and humility have their value, and those who are oppressed
by them fall into no such pitiable extreme as that too hopeful lover on
whose sanguine ear "No" falls like a thunderbolt from red lips that were
already considered to have spoken "Yes." A suitor who plunges from lofty
peaks of assured victory into failure falls far indeed; but Martin
Grimbal stood little chance of suffering in that sort as his brother
John had done.

The antiquary spoke presently, fearing he must seem too self-absorbed,
but Clement had little to say. Yet a chance meeting twisted the
conversation round to its former topic as they neare