at they should be married at once. He did not explain why the house
could not be taken even though their marriage were delayed two or
three months,--but as to this she asked no questions. Of course they
must be married in London if Mrs. Dosett wished it; but if not it
might be arranged that the wedding should take place at Stalham.
Upon all this and many other things he had much to propose, and
all that he said Ayala accepted as gospel. As the Angel of Light
had appeared,--as the knight who was lord of the castle had come
forth,--of course he must be obeyed in everything. He could hardly
have made a suggestion to which she would not have acceded. When they
had entered the wood Ayala in her own quiet way led him to the very
spot in which on that former day he had asked her his question. "Do
you remember this path?" she asked.

"I remember that you and I were walking here together," he said.

"Ay, but this very turn? Do you remember this branch?"

"Well, no; not the branch."

"You put your hand on it when you said that 'never--never,' to me."

"Did I say 'never,--never'?"

"Yes, you did;--when I was so untrue to you."

"Were you untrue?" he asked.

"Jonathan, you remember nothing about it. It has all passed away from
you just as though you were talking to Captain Glomax about the fox."

"Has it, dear?"

"I remember every word of it. I remember how you stood and how you
looked, even to the hat you wore and the little switch you held in
your hand,--when you asked for one little word, one glance, one
slightest touch. There, now;--you shall have all my weight to bear."
Then she leant upon him with both her hands, turned round her arm,
glanced up into his face, and opened her lips as though speaking that
little word. "Do you remember that I said I thought you had given it
all up?"

"I remember that, certainly."

"And was not that untrue? Oh, Jonathan, that was such a story. Had I
thought so I should have been miserable."

"Then why did you swear to me so often that you could not love me?"

"I never said so," replied Ayala; "never."

"Did you not?" he asked.

"I never said so. I never told you such a story as that. I did love
you then, almost as well as I do now. Oh, I had loved you for so long
a time!"

"Then why did you refuse me?"

"Ah; that is what I would explain to you now,--here on this very
spot,--if I could. Does it not seem odd that a girl should have all
that she wants offered to her, and yet