“Yes, it is,” said Lawrence, “and covers the case entirely.  I am here, disabled, and if you pick up my sword, as I have just asked you to do, it is not to be assumed that your action gives me the victory.  It merely gives me an equal chance with yourself.”

“Do you mean,” said Junius, “that you want me to go to Miss March, and deliberately ask her if she will marry you?”

“No,” said Lawrence, “I have done that myself.  But there are certain points in regard to which I want to be set right with Miss March.  And now I wish you to understand me, Mr Keswick.  I speak to you, not only as a generous and honorable man, which I have found you to be, but as a rival.  I cannot believe that you would be willing to profit by my present disadvantages, and, as I have said two or three times before, it would certainly be for your interest, as a suitor for the lady, to have this matter settled.”

“Wouldn’t it be better, then,” said Junius, “if I were to go immediately, and speak to her for myself?”

“No,” said Lawrence, “I don’t think that would settle the affair at all.  From what I understand of your relations with Miss March, she knows you are her lover, and yet she neither accepts nor declines you.  If you were to go to her now, it is not likely she would give you any definite answer.  But in regard to me, it would be different.  She would say yes or no.  And if she made the latter answer I think you could walk over the course.  I am not vain enough to say that I have been an obstacle to your success, but I assure you that I have tried very hard to make myself such an obstacle.”

“It seems to me,” said Junius, imitating his companion in the matter of knitting his brows and gazing into the fire, “that this affair could be managed very simply.  Miss March is not going at the break of day.  Why don’t you contrive to see her before she starts, and say for yourself what you have to say?”

“Nothing would please me better than that,” said Croft, “but I don’t believe she would give me any chance to speak with her.  Since my accident, she has persistently and pointedly refused to grant me even the shortest interview.”

“That ought to prove to you,” said Keswick, “that she does not desire your attentions.  You should consider it as a positive answer.”

“Not at all,” said Lawrence, “not at all.  And I don’t think you would consider it a positive answer if you were in my place.  I think she has taken some offence which is entirely groundless, and if you will consent to act for me it will enable me to set straight this misunderstanding.”

“Confound it!” exclaimed Keswick.  “Can’t you write to her? or get some one else to take your love messages?”

“No,” said Lawrence, “I cannot write to her, for I am not sure that under the circumstances she would answer my letter.  And I have already asked Mrs Null, the only other person I could ask, to speak for me, but she has declined.”